Work In Progress: Unsorted
by Qwolfs
Summary: The wip that doesn't have enough brethren to deserve its own special section goes here.
1. Royal Road: Tyrant of Efficacy

Beginnings are always the most difficult.

No matter what we do and how much effort we put in it is never enough. But we try and try anyway.

This beginning was more momentous than most. Because of this I put in more effort than usual.

Hopefully it would bear out in the long run.

—Select the name of your avatar.—

" Enki "

—Select your gender from male, female or neutral.—

"male"

—Royal Road

has forty-nine races. As one of the first 20 users You may select your race from the primary twenty-nine. As well as any of their subtypes.—

"Dark Elf"

—You may alter your appearance within the limits of your races natural biology.—

Perhaps it was a holdover from my RPG days but tweaking my characters appearance took me another 4 hours.

—Your account has been activated. Your stats and class shall be determined while you are playing Royal Road.—

—Select a city and kingdom you want to start in.—

"The City of Kalaka, Kingdom of Brent"

— Welcome to Royal Road!—

* * *

The city of Kalaka sits on the border to the Planes of Despair. Because the Plains are separated by a wide and deep river attacks are unusual and simple to fend off.

Surrounding the City is the Forest of Kalaka, after which it is named. The forest is old and vast. With the section in Brent Kingdom only a part of the whole.

Kalakas population is made up mostly of the prideful and quarrelsome Dark Elves. Though there tempers differ Dark elves retain their connection with nature and so the City is largely grown from the surrounding plant life.

Mammoth trees, sometimes grown together, serve as houses and structures. As trees grow up so too did Kalaka. Different levels of the city servicing the differing needs of its people.

Were this not a dark elf city, care would have been taken to filter light and air in such a way that everywhere was fresh, well lit and easily accessible.

It was not and so Enki entered Royal Road at a square lit largely by fluorescent fungus and glowing insects.

I didn't have the time to appreciate this wondrous new world because within moments I was flailing, desperately trying to stay standing.

Something I'd overlooked when creating my character was just how different he was shaped to my natural body.

Dark elves are smaller than humans, I on the other hand am above average height and stocky in build. Disregarding my racial characteristics I had made my character as tall as possible, this put me at just shy of 6 feet. Not particularly tall by humans standards but I would tower over my own race.

Because this size increase removed the implicit reach penalty that came with being a dark elf my strength had been penalized.

Dark elves started the game with 12 points in intelligence, 11 points in Agility, nine points in strength and eight points in Vitality. I had an additional strength penalty of two.

This set my attack at one in comparison to the three an average player began the game with.

While I was in fact close to my original height I had maintained the dark elf build and was now much slimmer than before. This messed with my center of gravity.

No matter how much I flailed it wasn't enough and I had to crouch down before I hurt myself.

To give myself a moment and get used to my new circumstances I looked around.

There were a few people that had seen me make a fool of myself, but it was largely empty down here. The map of the continent from which I could choose my starting place indicated this was a forest and the evidence was all around me.

Thick flora was every where, trees as massive around as buildings rose above. I couldn't even see where they might end. The forest canopy above me creating a 'natural' ceiling which served as only one of the levels of this city.

Underneath me, perhaps fulfilling the function of cobblestone, was moss. It stretched over the ground and even grew up the sides of the house trees. Where it touched the Dark elf structures it started to glow.

Shaped into patterns the swirls and figures of glowing moss illuminated my surroundings. The effect was nearly psychedelic, I had barely been in the actual game for more than a minute and already the world had me in its grasp.

With a thought of: status window, a screen appeared before me.

Character Name Enki Alignment Neutral

Level 1 Profession None

Title None Fame 0

HP 100 Mana 100

Level 1 Strength 7

Agility 11 Vitality 8

Perception 10 Intellect 12

Luck 0 Leadership 0

Attack 1 Defense 0

Magic Resistance

Fire Unknown Water Unknown

Earth Unknown Black Magic Unknown

There was really only one way to accurately summarize my stats. Weak!

At the moment even suicide was a difficult proposition. Should I enter conflict my only option would be to flee.

I had to be very careful to survive.

First I tentatively made my way to the fountain that stood in the middle of the square. The first few steps were reminiscent of a toddler. But the mind is incredibly capable when it comes to movement optimization. So when the tenth step placed me in front of the fountains rim I was starting to get the hang of things.

There I sat down and checked what I had on me. 10 pieces of rye bread, a canteen, and the clothes I was wearing. Making sure no one was watching me I filled my canteen from the fountain, after all I didn't know if the water was free. While the water might be dirty it was better than nothing.

As one of the first players of Royal Road even basic knowledge was scarce. So I needed to come up with a plan.

Information was worth more than gold at the moment so I decided to trek through the city in search of a library or tutorial quest giver.

* * *

Had I waited a bit longer the beginner quest that Royal Road used to familiarize players with the game would have initiated. A little girl of arbitrary race would've come by looking for my help. With a bit of humor and fun the game's basic mechanics would've been made clear.

2 hours into my search, after being chased by one of the bugs that fed on moss and viciously insulted by anyone I asked for directions, I found a small out of the way library.

Before going in I ate one of my 10 pieces of rye bread, a sustenance meter having appeared and lowered almost halfway.

After entering the smell of books greeted my nose.

Small though the shop was it was filled with bookshelves reaching from ceiling to floor. Packed just shy of overflowing. To the right of the entrance was a little desk, large enough for one person. the dark wood looked solid. A being sat partially obscured by darkness, the build looked vaguely feminine. Though as far as I was concerned so did mine.

Making snap judgements on gender would probably remain beyond me for a while.

With purposeful strides I picked a random direction and walked past the desk, without bothering to greet whoever might sit there.

The little time around the dark elves had already taught me not to bother asking them for help. Once I was well hidden by a group of shelves I start looking at titles. Perhaps Royal Road had some benevolent gods because I could read the language.

*Ding* a new sub skill has been discovered *Ding*

The skill language comprehension: dark elves has been created at level one.

The skill allows comprehension of the Dark elven language.

In my field of vision different windows opened up. The first making me aware of my new skill.

The others worked differently, one showed me a small dictionary excerpt (Dark elf - English). Another was a blank field prompting me to select a text which it would then translate to the limits of my skill level.

The third was the most useful, it gave me three different options. Cycling through them told me their functions.

Option one automatically translated everything into english to the best of its abilities. In this mode all other windows disappeared and the three options were minimized into small glowing icons at the edge of my vision, the current one glowing a faint green.

Option two overlaid the translation on the original text (strangely both were equally visible, perhaps using the direct connection to my brain to bypass the silly restrictions of reality). The second and third windows remained open though its use escaped me. The overlay should be fulfilling all its functions right? I shelved the mysterie for later.

Option three only had the dictionary window open. I swiped the the skill notification in an attempt to dismiss it. This worked, likely I could dismiss all windows this way.

I decided I liked option two most, though i did move the windows out of my line of sight. For now they were in the way.

The title of the book I had picked up was: Knowledge, Power and You!

The Title looked interesting, though it wasn't what I was looking for. I put it in the crook of my arm and continued my search for useful literature.

Another 3 hours later and my sustenance bar was getting low again. It was becoming increasingly clear that food would be a major problem. Much as in real life, the library had not disappointed me.

Skimming through a number of different books with subjects ranging from biology (limited as it was in this fictional time.) to geography gave me a basic understanding of where I stood in relation to the rest of the world.

Finding knowledge on dark elf culture was surprisingly more difficult. Perhaps because a lot of the social mores were self evident to any true dark elf much of it wasn't written down. A little bit of thinking had me using the geography book to backtrack from their opinions of other countries and people to what this might say about them.

The most useful bits of knowledge were comparatively Minor. For instance I learned which levels of a dark elf tree city would hold which services.

The lower down you were the heavier the work being done would be. This was not completely literal, so warrior's were lower in the city then an architect because the act of creation has a 'higher' value. Even though the materials used by the architect would be heavier than those of the warrior.

Similar little factoids already factored into a plan for my continued survival.

The best part was that I had gained two levels in my language comprehension skill.

Each level had improved the accuracy of its translations. Unsure of how many levels this skill might have it seemed to be growing fast, a pleasing thing.

I cracked my back to loosen the tension sitting had built up. For the first time I performed a truly physical task. Immediately it became apparent to me that I wasn't as flexible as usual. My job required I sit a lot and to counteract this I spend time stretching my body.

The inside of the library wasn't the place to test this but my abysmal strength might end up having a greater effect on me than anticipated. This would need careful study.

Before I decided on what to next I would read: Knowledge, Power and You!

Another hour later and my maniacal laughter filled the store.

This was GLORIOUS!

I had found a spell. Sure it cost me fully half my mana to cast it even once, could damage nothing, and really only removed the need for a small selection of menial labour. But by the gods if I could have Chosen a first spell to learn it would have been this one.

Prestidigitation was incredibly versatile and would help me find a job to make some money from. The best part was to learn it I had unlocked a Skill called Spell Craft.

*Ding* a new skill has been discovered *Ding*

The skill Spellcraft has been created at Beginner level one.

This skill allows the understanding, creation, modification and usage of spells and other Magical effects. Though certain avenues of Mana usage require specialized skills.

At level you are capable of using, understanding, creating and modifying spells of the first level using your available knowledge and resources.

A number of windows came with this skill, even though most were greyed out.

Of particular interest to me is the screen focused on my available knowledge and how I can put it to use.

A few different options involved researching the different parts that make up Prestidigitation. From its ability to clean things, create force or conjure substances.

All of these involved a lot of time if i let them be done automatically. But much like with language comprehension most things allowed me to decide just how involved in the process I wanted to be.

Learning magic is obviously a dream of most people and I couldn't resist turning it to option two, henceforth known as semiauto.

Giddy with excitement I couldn't contain myself and needed to try this out right now.

Standing from my chair I made the first movement for Prestidigitation. With only one spell to choose from my skill automatically created glowing lines in the air (probably visible only to me). Following the paths I made the correct movements and with a clear "Prestidigitation" I worked my first spell upon the world.

Seeing the 1 foot by 1 foot cube I had created clean anything I placed inside filled me with an indescribable joy. Growing up I had loved the Harry Potter books and fantasy in general, to be able to emulate even the small bits of them always filled me with an ineffable sensation. Perhaps thinking of Harry Potter had primed me but the disgruntled cough behind me reminded me so much of McGonigal that I twisted around with such speed the chair left behind me is knocked to the floor.

Though she looked nothing like her in body the Dark Elf womens glare would have done Mcgonigal proud.

" Sir! What are you doing here! This is a Library and neither magic nor shouting is permitted within."

Her words struck me like blows. Generally I'm a calm person. But I absolutely hate doing something wrong when I should know better, so messing with a library wounded me deeply.

" Miss I-I am incredibly sorry. I'm new here and I just found this and I had never managed magic before and..."

I stopped myself from further justification. I am better than this. I straighten up from the frazzled posture I'm in. Idly noting I tower above her like I expected at character creation.

Giving her a bow I try again.

" I am sorry. There is no excuse Ma'am. I should have controlled myself better. Is there some way I could make up my error?"

Once again standing straight I look her in the eyes and patiently await her decision.


	2. W40K Setting Knowledge

General Background Setting is Based on the If-the- Emperor-had- a -T- to-S- device

episode 16 and 17.

Eldar numbers would be in the 100 billions (999 billion / 7 billion comes out about 150). If

say a Trillion Eldar had survived the fall and the constant attrition that comes with living

in W40K and being important cut them down from there... The idea of a dying race that

GW is trying to sell us would make a lot of sense (and they would still have enough

people that with their tech superiority they still matter). Their not dying as in genetically

not viable or such but their slow birthrate plus being high value targets will slowly but

surely grind them into non existence.

The Demigod CYOA is altered to fit into the Story theme.

The MC's Patron is Isha, in return for freeing her from Nurgle and helping her children

she empowers him.

Physical enhancements give Eldar body, plus upgrades.

Mental enhancements give Eldar Mind and emotions, plus upgrades.

Powers increase natural warp affinity, plus upgrades.

Only things like Martial Prowess give the intended effect (not that Paths don't come with

their own side effects).

Changes to powers:

All powers that refer to Man (see martial prowess) now

target Eldar.

Combat Gifts:

Divine Strength:

unchanged

Martial Prowess:

For clarification: Warrior Paths count as martial arts (to learn a full path requires 20

points), Avatars of Kain are not functionally Eldar. Phoenix lords don't count for the same

reason Eldrad won't count when it comes to psychic powers, they be bullshit OP and the

protag should have some skills he didn't buy.

Unflinching Courage:

Changed to Unflinching Discipline. Eldar are more than capable of mindfucking

themselves, undying passions aren't needed here and would be an active hindrance.

The second part is slightly modified to be in line with the new theme.

Divine Weapon:

Unchanged

Survivability Gifts:

Immortality send to the Warp.

Movement Gifts:

Portal Maker Close Range Teleporter:

Work through the Warp ie. Portals are webway gates and the teleport works like the

spider aspect (no chance of failure though)

Divine Speed:

Unchanged

Shadow form:

Can be seen if a particularly powerful psyker uses the aura sight talents.

Magic Gifts:

Used through warp craft, the gift is as such more a gift of knowledge than a power in and

of itself. Normally Eldar can't really do these things on a whim because of Slaanesh (and

being restricted to their runes) this power makes it possible(Isha protecting the protag

from Slaanesh influence when it comes to these powers).

Servants Gifts:

Necromancy:

Cost increased to 50 (Isha really ain't into that), unless Ynnead was brought into being by

the protag (at the moment I'm leaning towards Ynnead being connected to the Emprah )

Mind Related Gifts:

Like Magic Gifts.

Warp Craft:

Added because it's an Eldar Path and would otherwise fall into Expertise and Martial

Prowess which would get weird and tedious. Costs ten points at base, otherwise works

like Martial prowess Field(ex:biomancy)/power(conjure wraithbone).

Utility Gifts:

Artistic:

Contains the Paths of the artisan, nothing really changes.

Godly Mind:

Costs 20 points, comes with the Eldar emotional problems.

Divine Memory:

Costs 5 points because this is W40K and perfect memory really isn't worth it here.

Comes with Eldar intellect and obsessive behavior. Combined with Godly mind you will

become snobby.

Ascended & Divine Beauty & Apex Predator:

Get the full physical Eldar package plus their upgrades. Because W40K animals are

Hard core Apex costs 20.

Seer of Infinite:

Makes you an OP Farseer, nothing changes.

Sixth Sense:

Instead of Demigods it picks up powerful Psykers (includes Daemons).

Useful as fuck so 20 points.

Rewind:

No changes. Is not quite as OP because Psykers are bullshit like that, no price increase.

Gods Eyes:

No changes, don't get without unflinching Discipline. The warp and Daemons aren't

pretty.

Eldritch Abomination:

Changed a bit. Basically makes you a Daemon Prince. Isha's pretty nice though so no

unending hatred and whatnot.

The rest stay unchanged.

Point Awarding Gifts:

Defender of the Innocent:

Daemon Princes (or if a race has an equivalent them to (C'tan would count for example)

count as Devourers.

Isha approved

Costs 10 points

Devourer:

Changed because Isha does not approve.

Every prime number of kills gain a point. No point limit, restricted to enemies much like

wargod.

Costs 90 points, Isha still doesn't really approve (if Ynnead exists at the start of the

adventure this would also go down to 40).

Wargod:

Isha does not approve.

Kaela Mensha Khain does though.

Costs 40 points

The Power of Adoration:

Isha doesn't mind, costs 20 points.

Demonic Pact:

Renamed just pact for PR reasons.

Isha does not approve.

Cegoragh does.

30 points

Ancient Mysteries:

Not sure what the items would be so at the moment it's cut.


	3. W40K CYOA (not SI)

Chapter One

Never in his life had he been more proud of being a paranoid little shit.

He'd always been careful with the small things. So even when all he did was fill out a survey in the local newspaper, he was ready.

The survey had been about taking a job offer in a distant country. In the hypothetical the pay would be high and the benefits extensive. There would be serious risk to the health of the participants and large amounts of psychological stress.

It had been vague when describing the duties the hypothetical job offer would require. But gave several examples: ranging from CEO of a major company to a special forces operative in the military. He did not have the training to fulfill any of those job requirements, at least not completely.

So he checked that box and looked through the rest of the survey for information on job training. Training would not be cheap and would have to be paid for by the participant. Though of the highest quality.

Before he made a final decision on where he stood in this particular hypothetical, he took a closer look at the benefits.

Perhaps extensive under-sells it. The highest levels of Health Care available (including plastic surgery and scaling with the advances in modern medicine), a personal trainer, dietitians, teachers as well as entertainment professionals would all be available to the participants. While there was a cost the income of the hypothetical job offer would cover most if not all of them. When he finished the survey he rated his willingness 4/5.

He doubted this would bring about a potential job offer he did not discount the idea. So he made sure he had all his shots, his passport was ready and a full checkup would make sure he was aware of any health issues that might crop up.

Stood in a dusty room filled with technology he had never seen before and that likely hadn't been in use in years. He at the least knew his body was as ready as it was going to be.

While the human body has never needed to adapt to being transported to another universe. It has had thousands of years of experience dealing with shock and trauma. So instead of breaking down and making the situation worse, he went into shock.

Somewhat numb to the world around him he took a look around. He was in a metal room with no windows, at the back of the wall far away from the door was a massive machine.

It looked something like a computer, built far more solidly than any he ever came across. Thick wires and cables some as wide around as his wrist snaked from the computer into the walls and around the room. The monitor as well as the keyboard were large and built into the original construction, likely to limit points of failure.

In a junction between the keyboard and monitor there was a slate of dark gray metal that stuck up and out from the rest of the structure. It had the dimensions of a modern cell phone, though from where he stood he could not see if there was in fact a touch screen facing away from him.

Aware that he was potentially dealing with a SCI Fi laboratory, instincts honed through many hours of gaming pushed past the fugue state his shock placed him in.

He looked to the floor underneath him to make certain he was not in fact standing on a trap door or switch. Except for some slight scuff marks in the dust nothing indicated a trap of any kind.

Naturally this did not mean there were no other ways besides very obvious pressure based mechanisms that might cause a harmful or even lethal reaction. But he was neither a thief nor did he have the technical or cultural know how to gauge whether there were potential problems he did not know about.

With an effort of supreme will he ignored problems and potential dangers he couldn't fix.

Now in a somewhat better headspace, having found experiences no matter how inaccurate, with which he could try to make sense of his current predicament, he made a quick inventory of what objects he had on him.

The pair of shoes and socks, pants and underwear, and a tee shirt were the few meager possessions he had on him.

In his right pocket he found a round skyblue gem, Shaped like a teardrop. When he pulled it from his pocket, even in the spaars light the monstrous machine gave off while it idled, there was a glow to it.

Once he had a clear look an image seemed to open in his mind. Perhaps this unusual circumstance had primed him to expect things starkly dissimilar to his home. In this case, as perhaps with what he believed might be a computer, this was not so.

Whatever had brought him here had taken a CYOA that he was familiar with, modified it and decided it would fulfill its purpose.

While there had been a few changes most of the demigod CYOA had remained unchanged.

The changes told him quite a bit though, there had been mentions of Eldar and paths. The warp was mentioned and a fair few side effects had been added to the original power makeup.

This led him to a few conclusions:

conclusion one:

He was likely in the Warhammer 40K universe. It could also be some other setting with space elves and magical powers he wasn't aware of. But as Warhammer 40K was almost guaranteed to be the worse setting prudence demanded he work under his first assumption.

Conclusion two:

If he was understanding the side effects of his available powers there was a distinct possibility of becoming an Eldar in mind, body and soul. This came with distinct advantages and disadvantages.

As was usual when he filled out a CYOA he first looked to how many points he had, this was 100, and then to how many points he could get. Truthfully there were only two viable options in his current situation. Wargod was the cheaper of the two and might leave him with enough points to survive most of the dangers this room was likely to fling at him. Even if there was no points to be gained in his immediate surroundings.

Devourer was significantly more expensive and would limit him in the extreme. But it would allow for a fairly constant and open ended growth throughout what might now be a very long life.

In the end it came down to personal preference. He knew too little of where he was and what rules might have carried over from the fiction into the actual universe to make an educated decision.

He chose Devourer. It was so expensive that it would likely take far too long to build up the backlog of points while balancing survivability that "mid to late game" he would be crippled and unable to scale and escalate with some of the big name foe's he might need to throw down with.

He also generally preferred to be self reliant wherever possible and the somewhat flakey nature of War God rubbed him the wrong way.

This left him with only 10 points.

While 10 points allowed him several options they were cut down by circumstance. None of the knowledge giving gifts could give him the practical experience needed to survive a hostile encounter this early in the game.

So he was left with three options, divine weapon not having a weapon too imbue. Divine emissary while useful, especially now as a minesweeper, was wishy washy in its wording. Unsure of how his desires would be communicated to his servant the potential for accidental mayhem was too high in such a volatile situation.

Gift of Tongues would give him the ability to communicate, a basic skill required for his continued survival.

With the computer before him depending on how the mechanics of his ability functioned many, many options would open.

His final choice was Unflinching Discipline. This would be incredibly useful, the Warhammer 40K universe was violent, dangerous and shocking at the best of times. The sanctity of his mind, untested and untrained as it was, left him dangerously unguarded to warp predation, mind reading, interrogation, shock and fear.

If his suspicions were correct this would also work to counteract many of their racial flaws inherent to the Eldar. The obsessions and excesses of emotion would be kept firmly in check, thus protecting him from an ever looming danger.

Both of the skills would have to be bought at the earliest opportunity, if he bought one now he would have to buy the other one next.

Unflinching Discipline would make reaching the next 10 points far less stressful and error prone than a knowledge of languages.

But the knowledge and intelligence he could gain now with access to the computer would go a long way to readying him for potential threats that might await just outside this room.

The deciding factor was knowledge, humans had survived and thrived not through superior strength or ability in combat but guile, cunning and wit.

So with a heart filled by fear, uncertainty and cowardice he settled on the Gift of Tongues.

Making this decision seemed to be enough and the image disappeared.

From one moment to the next languages, complex, tonal and varied slotted themselves into his mind. Inhuman in their complexity and makeup describing thoughts, ideas and emotions he had never come across.

The languages ranged from the basic proto-languages he assumed were used when the Eldar had only barely attained the intellect for communication to a complex sign language based around the movement of the body in relation to an intricate web of situational modifiers.

As far as he could tell languages had been defined as structured means of communication. So this included programming languages and similar non-social communication constructs.

With luck he might even be able to understand, communicate or puzzle out a way to interact with the computer in front of him.

He put the stone in back in his pocket.

Taking off his shirt he placed it on the floor in front of him and gave it a push that slid it toward the computer.

It made it nearly halfway there and no click, fire or other danger made itself known in response to his probing.

Crouched he slowly and carefully made his way to where his tee shirt lay. A repeat brought him before the computer whole and hearty.

Shaking from adrenaline he stood and looked upon the interface.

He didn't know the language.

The characters while not completely unfamiliar to him did not all correspond with languages he knew.

The basics of the English alphabet were mostly present. There were a few exceptions though, especially for non standard characters. There also seemed to be evidence of severe linguistic drift, this was visible or at least could be inferred by the setup of the keyboard.

Usually keys were arranged in such a way that the most used were easily accessible. Because of this, modification to the keyboard could indicate changes in language for cultural or in some cases technical reasons.

Thankfully humanity remained predictable and so there were two round buttons at the top of the keyboard on either side of the gray slate. The right one was red and the left one was green.

His gaming experience coming to the fore he touched nothing and made a point of looking to the sides of the computer so as to not miss anything.

He had been hoping for a small picture on the sides of the computer that might visually show him how to turn it on. As this was not a tutorial level, or a video game at all he was sorely disappointed.

Continuing to be cautious instead of pressing the green or even red button he pressed a key on the keyboard. This worked out in his favor and the computer switched back on from what he now assumed to have been an idle state.

On screen there was now an outline of a hand, a right hand to be precise.

After assuring himself that nothing else had changed. No tutorial messages had serendipitously appeared on the sides of the computer or in other out of the way places, he placed his right hand on it.

There was no sign of a scan or anything of the sort but after a moment the screen flashed red and displayed a three dimensional image of a human.

The body shape and general attributes including hair color eye color and general skin color were almost identical to himself.

He theorized the machine had somehow scanned his genetic information and created a model based on that.

To the right of the model was a form. So long as human psychology hadn't changed too much it would have space for his name and perhaps a number of other things needed to register in what seemed to be a medical terminal.

Throughout the form there were a few extendible options. So as to not accidentally proceed past this screen before he had gained as much information as was available, he tested what they did.

At the bottom right of the form he found a way to change the language. He knew none of the languages, but a few of the words were not dissimilar to some of the words around during his time.

Using the correlation between words, the length and the input options of the fields after them created a bare bones framework of what most of the words might mean.

On the whole this was not enough to answer all the questions in the form. But it allowed him to fill in his name, age, date of birth, country of origin, sex and the most useful option available his educational background.

While his name was not in fact John Smith it was unlikely for anyone or anything (besides perhaps whatever displaced him and Tzeentch) to ever find this out. Still, being careful had rarely ever hurt him.

Now christened John Smith he filled out what he could, accurately.

Jon couldn't be sure but it seemed likely to him he was dealing with technology from before the era of strife. To categorize someone after many years in cryo sleep or some other form of stasis the machines that registered galactic colonists would need to be flexible. Combined with denoting his education background as nonexistent, most errors, such as coming from a time in which space travel and this machine didn't exist, might be overlooked.

This line of reasoning seemed to work out for John because instead of locking him out of the program the interface changed to a picture based one.

Working through this was significantly easier. The question of his age was asked by showing him pictures of a male human in different stages of development. Going from young to old and having him tap the one that seemed most like his age. At the bottom of the page was what he now assumed to be the word for age. Under each of the one hundred differently aged Males was a number.

In possession of what he assumed to be a fairly accurate knowledge of this languages numbers and seeing it remained in base 10 he felt a lot better.

Once finished Mr. Smith, likely because of his Gift of Tongues, had a decent grasp of the language he had changed the operating system to.

He put this to good use when he gained access to this computer's equivalent of the desktop. To capitalize on his ability to learn many languages in incredibly quick succession, he took the next hour switching the available languages.

By the end of this he had a somewhat eclectic grasp on human languages, maybe even some Xenos ones to.

Aware that he would get hungry and thirsty soon John decided to look through the computer for available options.

There were naturally far more than he had the time to make use of. But he gleaned enough basic information to make an educated decision on what to do next.

As he understood things he was on a planet far removed from Terra. His knowledge of things such as the map of Warhammer 40K was limited, all he could be reasonably sure of was that he was not near the Tau.

He was also not on the edge of the galaxy. He could only hope he was not anywhere close to the Eye of Terror. If something was going to pull him from one dimension or universe to this one, ending up in close proximity to a warp rift seemed likely. The Eye of Terror being the largest also made it the most probable.

He was in a bunker of some sort, really more of a well protected base underground, whose purpose it was to protect something called the Omnicopea.

The Omnicopea was in fact the gray slate protruding from the computer, or as they are known here cogitator.

If the dramatic name and its computer nature were anything to go by this was likely of interest to the Mechanicus. If John had gotten really lucky it might even be and STC fragment.

That kind of bargaining power could well be leveraged into useful things later on. There was nothing else in the base, as far as the cameras and other sensors could tell.

So for the moment he was safe. If he left the room the door would not allow him access back in. So this was his only chance to make use of the computer and he would have to take the Omnicopaeia with him.

He found a blueprint of the base. Using the cameras he checked all the rooms he thought it might be useful. Such as the mess hall, the storage rooms, the infirmary, the sleeping quarters and the laboratories.

There was little useful remaining. Food and other perishable goods had long been removed, almost everything was empty. Except for objects built into the base itself.

The laboratories for instance still contained solid metal tables, cupboards and sinks as they were part of the building.

For John this meant besides this slate there was nothing available to him. A last check through the computers systems made clear that there was nothing else to be had.

This was disappointing as Mr. Smith had been rather hoping for cameras on the outside of the base. After removing the Omnicopea and sliding it in his left pocket, the right one still filled by what he thought might be a Soul stone of the Eldar. He returned the computer to idle and made his way out of the room.

The door hissed closed behind him.

John collapsed to the floor shaking.


	4. The Unwanted Waifu (Naruto)

The Unwanted Waifu's

The First Waifu Author's notes:

Gamer using a heavily modified Fallout experience system.

Attribute points 5000xp

Perk points 2000xp

Skill points 100xp

No levels.

The participant is from an outerverse level civilization, that use the Gamer system to help operatives uplift world and settings with the goal of integrating them into their empire.

Skills and more work through hints and systems, see Tyrant of Efficacy.

Gain skill points by quests, this is learning.

Mother owns a Dango chain, sells to Anko.

Character Sheet

Name: Kiyoshi Kimura

Hit Points: 100

Chakra: 33

 **S** trength: 3(0)

 **P** erception: 3(0)

 **E** ndurance: 3(0)

 **C** ommunication: 3(0)

 **I** ntelligence: 5(0)

 **A** gility: 3(0)

 **L** uck: 10(0)

Skills:

Perks:

Jutsu:

Elemental Affinity: N/A

EXP: 0

Lucky Rabbits Paw 1.1

He groaned, feeling the last of his muscles loosen from his stretching.

Taking one last look around the sterile metal room burning the experience into his memory. This would be last time for at least Eight hundred years before he could see it again.

Then, having indulged his whimsy, he entered the pod. With a his the door closed behind him. An orange light shone for one moment and then his mind was on its way.

1.2

The experience left me Insensate.

I did not push or squirm when a moment after being sent away I found myself in a fleshy prison. I did not cry upon being squeezed from between the legs of a woman covered in blood in blood and screaming in pain.

I did none of the things typical of a newborn.

Only after a year and a day did I begin to rise from the catatonic state travel had instilled within me.

My mother was overjoyed. Her little baby boy, who had been almost deathly quiet all his life, had life breathed into him. Hesitant and confused at first he cried a lot and moved little.

But even that was enough to bring hope to her life. Things were getting better and she no longer needed to fear for his life every hour of the day.

For me all joy had ceased. After my life of comparative perfection nothing else could compare and my growing awareness only brought to bear the imperfections of this world.

Over this year my mind learned to slowly cope with the new reality. First subconscious processes initialized. A lifetime of experience walking and moving adjusted to my new younger body. I went from my first self initiated crawl to walking in a week. Even if my muscles protested vehemently, physical pain was nothing to my befuddled mind.

Then the higher processes of emotion initialized. Jealous and pointless anger almost disappeared, replaced by apathy and an ocean of deliberation. Populated with the rare Leviathans of hate that would only rise to the greatest of provocations.

Sparkling rivers of Joy lost their shine, though they remained a solid, dependable undercurrent.

But greatest of all changes was desire, a fickle current in the baby morphed into rivers of molten earth kept at bay only by the combined weight of indifference, apathy and deliberation.

Much changed in the baby, coming together into a deliberate, happy, lazy little boy. Willing to go to any length when roused to action.

Finally, during the last month of his second year, his conscious mind initialized for the first time.

And so it was that on little Kiyoshi's third birthday the mind of H͔̪̙̬̆͛e̜̍ͮ-̝͗ͨ͊ͥͦw̧̜͎͉̜̹̠̌̂͐ͫ̔͒̚ẖ͒o̐҉͓̫̹̞̠͔-̅ͭ̄e̯̝͌̔ͅn̦̘͖̮̬ͨͭ̎̌͒̒c̲̙̱͎̖̀͊ͬo̺̓̏̎͋ͯ̌͐̀m̂ͤ̉ͯp̴̩̝̭͖ͨ̓͂̀ͥ̉ͣa̓ͧ͊ͩ͟ͅs̙̩͓͈̙̝͌ͨ̽̄̌͛͐͟e̱̻̣̣̪̲̓ͩ̃̇̉̄͞d͙̆ͅ-̛͗̓ͬ̀̌́̚t̖̮͔͔͚͑hͣ̃͏͎̺͙̤̤̝̣ę̗̯̗̟̌̿̒̀̉-͙̟̤̘̞̍͗̓ͯS̸͙͙͖̲̪̻̀ͯ̔͐̏̍t̼͎͈͉̋ͥ͛ͤả̲̳̐ͭ͗ͩ͑̎̕rͣ͋ş̮̮̣̥̼̣ͪ͂͌͑̄͂ͦ ͓̺͐̀͐̅asserted complete control.

1.3

"Go on Kiyoshi, blow out your candles." The tired, but content, voice of my mother urged.

Before I could think I did as asked.

Puffing up my tiny chest and blowing as hard as I could. The three small colourful candles on my chocolate birthday nearly managed to resist my mighty puffing but we're extinguished all the same.

Then the world turned grey. Colour leached from my surroundings, our small cosy beige kitchen now a washed out depressing nightmare.

All things had stopped, neither my mother nor I moved. Only a single object disregarded this.

A dark blue pop-up window bobbed up down before my eyes.

 _Emissary systems have initialized._

 _System check... Within Acceptable Parameters._

 _3d Form encompassed, scanned, adjusted, modified, incorporated._

 _Natural Mind synchronized with 3d body._

 _Multiverse 343 scanned... Within Acceptable Parameters._

 _Emissary system adapted to Multiverse 343._

 _Childhood program initializing._

As soon as I finished reading the status update was replaced with another screen.

I knew this screen. Before me was the Attribute selection screen. Choosing my attributes would decide what the Childhood simulation program would act like. 1 in a stat was equal to a very weak adult, 5 an average and 10 the peak of that species. The childhood program had been created so that Emissaries, like myself, could gain an unbiased look into the local setting. Only very minor pre existing biases were allowed during the simulation, mainly to help the Emissary survive.

The Attributes had been adjusted to match the setting, making sure an Emissary could make effective decisions for biologies very different from what they might expect.

Here Intelligence did not make me more intelligent, a shame that, instead it governed a multitude of disparate biological effects that impacted my brain and nerves. As such reflexes, memory, brain plasticity and more fell under Intelligence. So an intelligence of ten did not make me a genius. It gave me tools to do it myself, a perfect memory, streamlined nerve connections and peak human reflexes for example.

Strength governed the obvious, the ability to apply force using muscles. This natural meant that physical speed was a strength derivative.

Perception applied to the ability to perceive things, even more esoteric applications such as Chakra sensing. Important to note was that a high perception without a compensating endurance could cause problems, such as suffering by loud noises.

Endurance was the bodies ability to endure. Whether pain, exercise or poison.

Communication also covered a number of different subconscious aspects. Smell, blink rate, vocal tone etc. But not appearance in general. Nor was it impossible to mitigate a low score, being polite or bathing and scenting regularly could help.

Agility involved all the natural limits on the bodies ability to move. Stretchier tendons for the most part.

The greatest change of all was Luck.

The description of Luck 1 read like this.

 _You will suffer eternal torment, your family will be tortured in perpetuity. Then ***************************************************. There is no hope for you._

Luck was not fucking around.

My **SPECIAL** scores all started at 1 and I only had 9 points to spend.

After reading **lucks** description my choice was clear though. No matter how much it would suck to suffer being weak and mentally slow if I wanted to have any chance at a happy-ish life then I had to max **Luck**. So I did.

Mentally I changed **lucks** 1 to a 10 and the blue screen disappeared.

Only to pop up again with a different message.

 _Attribute points cost 5000xp, Perk points 2000xp and Skill points 100xp. There are no levels. You gain experience by experiencing things, such as your first battle or a beautiful painting. There is a Status command to see your character sheet. For more features you will need to buy perks._

For the last time that day the screen disappeared.

As color returned to the world and the Childhood program initiated, shutting down my mind for the moment I could only hope I was lucky enough to choose Intelligence for my next few **SPECIAL** purchases.

1.4

My mind was freed a third and final time on my eighth Birthday.

Again I stood in front of a cake, eight little candles flickering on top. A deep breath, made more potent by extensive cardiovascular training, rushed past my lips and snuffed the flames.

*Ding* _You have survived long enough to reach your Academy years. Congratulations!_

The last eight years of Childhood memories bothered me. I could have achieved so much, exploited the system so hard. Instead my bumbling child self had languished and wasted **experience** on frivolous purchases. What use was 50/100 in cleaning? Not enough use that's what.

Experience had been so plentiful during my early years. I could have boosted my attributes to five across the board and still had enough points to max out a few skills if I was careful. But no! My only stat at five was intelligence. The rest floundered at three.

Still things could be much worse. I had a very basic knowledge of household chores, knew how to cook in the family restaurant, as well as read, write and do math.

So I mustered joy at my birthday and the new Perk before smiling a bright smile at my mother.

"The cake is great mother. Triple chocolate is my favorite!"

She returned my smile with her own. Her black hair tumbled past her shoulders framing a face that had begun to manifest age lines, They crinkled at the corner of her mouth and eyes. Her eyes, like mine, had small steel grey pupils. Though hers twinkled with joy and amusement, while mine created a detached uncaring gaze.

Even after years of working in the restaurant her previous profession of Shinobi was clear for all who knew what to look for. When she moved muscles that hid under a light layer fat would stand out, forming cords of strength through her body. If there was a sufficiently competent chakra sensor they would also have picked up on a wellspring of energy cloaked with expert skill.

"I know you do Kiyoshi, that's why I made it." a teasing tone fluttering beneath her voice.

I knew objectively that my mother's voice, while pleasant enough, was no great beauty. But I had grown to love it as only a child could. To me it sounded clear and caring. I loved her voice so much that I had spent 25 points learning to sing just to coax her into singing with me.

I grinned, and tucked into my meal.

Conversation ceased as we dug into the sugary goodness.

Making use of the time I thought about what had happened to me.

Echoes of despair underlining the time of my birth. Not unexpected, compared to The Empire the Omniverse was a flawed place, my area of responsibility in this Multiversal strand currently no better. But eventually I managed to cope and the Emissary system had turned on. The Childhood system initialized and now I was myself again, with the memories of eight years growing up in this world added on.

"Kiyoshi, how are you feeling about the Academy? Have you changed your mind?"

With a jolt I sprang to attention, my mother's question pulling me from my thoughts.

Deliberately taking a moment to turn over the question in my mind, applying the undiluted experience of my past life I answered.

"No mother I haven't changed my mind. The world is too dangerous a place for me to live without training to protect myself. I... do not wish to go to the Academy. You know I prefer working in the store with you." She smiled again. "But it is the best place to learn and education is free there."

Mother sighed, a wistful mood darkening here irises. "Well, I tried. Your father would have preferred you not become a Ninja." Then her mood shifted and a twinkle entered her eyes.

I shivered, dread pooling in my stomach.

" I'll have to start you on your training now. Ahh~ I think I can get Anko-san to help out. She has taken quite the shine to you hasn't she?" Mother looked delighted at the prospect of roping her favorite customer into my training.

"A-are you sure you have time for that momy? I-i mean with all the hard work you do in the restaurant I wouldn't want to impose on you." My attempt to escape fate failed as mother shrewdly cut out my hope.

"Oh don't worry about work dear. Cleaning up after you might leave me tired though. Still, I'm sure Anko would be willing to step in for me."

I forced a grin. "Well good thing that I do my chores so diligently then. I'd hate for you to be tired because of me."

"I'm sure." she hummed, content in the knowledge she had won this verbal spar.

To be honest there was little reason for me to be worried, Anko and I got on well.

That stemmed from two factors. The first was that Anko loved our restaurant. I wouldn't go so far as to say we were her Ichiraku Ramen stand, the desperation for positive social interactions ameliorated in Anko's case by maturity and Kurenai Yuuhi. But we were close. Our Dango was excellent, I planned to waste some **experience** and make it perfect eventually. The restaurant facilitated a cosy, private atmosphere and Mother always enjoyed talking to the spunky Woman. Sometimes offering a shoulder to lean on when needed.

The second reason Anko liked me was that I was a ruthless little shit, even as a little five year old helping my mother as best I could.

I had a vivid memory of my first meeting with her.

I was carefully balancing a plate with a mountain of Dango stacked on it. Tiny little five-year-old arms struggling with the weight.

Looking around the dim restaurant I spied the snake lady occupying a corner booth in the back.

Mother had made sure I knew that weird lady wasn't going to hurt me, unless I got unlucky.

Deep in the back of my mind memories of this settings Archetype created subconscious biases to help me through this coming ordeal.

I strode, as much as a five year old can stride, towards her.

"Ooh, aren't you a cute a little boy. What do you think? Doesn't he look delectable?" The snake lady conferred with the massive snake that wrapped around her body and covered a seat beside her. Looking me up and down and grinning the grin of the deranged.

"I'm sorry to say that looking upon my majesty costs extra. Now please take your meal and let me get back to work." I squeaked with the driest tone my body could muster. The heavy plate weighing down my limbs.

Her face scrunched in amusement. "Sarcasm? Your doing well for a kid. But what are you going to do if I don't take the meal out of your hands?"

"Drop it on the floor. Then cry about how you threatened me with your snake." I answered truthfully.

"Damn kid, thats cold. Give it here."

I did, placing the plate into her hands.

"Are you the owner's kid?"

"Yep, you need anything?"

"Nah I'll do fine for now. But get your mother to help you with your blackmailing skills. Early talent like yours needs to be honed." She grinned and winked at me. Her snake lazily doing the same.

"If that makes the customer happy." I responded, before going back to mom.

Of course I didn't tell my mother, I felt I had enough work to do already.

But Anko was a canny one and made sure to inform my mother herself.

Mom was proud of my first blackmail attempt but disappointed in my lack of moral fiber. To appease both halves of herself, the mother and the ninja, she worked me extra hard. Drilling me on blackmail theory, a legitimate research subject in a hidden village, and forcing me to serve and cook for Anko when ever she came by.

To really hammer home that my mother did not approve of my behavior she told Anko ahead of time.

So almost a month later Anko came back to our store, having invited her friend Kurenai along. They arrived early during the day, around 10 am and stayed till five in the afternoon. Anko had stockpiled a significant portion of her earnings for the month and funded both her and her friends bing. Anko, bitch that she could be, laughed at my misery. Kurenai was less amused, but my puny impotent rage tickled her sadistic side.

I worked the entire time, my mother only allowing breaks when my arms shook to much to cook correctly. Only my Mother's talent kept me from crying while she pushed me to the edge with the skills of a seasoned Shinobi. It became so bad that I spent 3000xp on the cooking skill just to keep going. That was a stupid decision on my part, I had been saving them for an Attribute increase but the stress and pressure got to me. It would have been better to cry and fail than waste my points.

Instead I had to turn my blunder to my advantage, earning back the lost points by working hard in the kitchen. Learning new dishes meeting new people and trying new things.

This need to experiment and experience helped me ingratiate myself with Anko.

As her personal Dango factory my worth rose in Anko's eyes and she spent a lot of time discussing with me the intricacies of her tastes.

This close cooperation between chef and customer meant that her diverse palate was satisfied better at our restaurant than anywhere else. My mother, of course, needed to make sure her little boy was interacting with 'acceptable' people. So she spent hours forming a friendship with the snake lady, getting drunk and having a good time.

All this meant that I had little to fear from training with Anko, compared to everyone else. What I did need to fear was that both my mother and Anko would ensure my competence with any methods necessary. Mom because she wanted her son to stay alive and Anko because she loved my Dango.

The punishment had shown me something else about my mother. I wasn't sure if I should call it a fault of hers or a difference of opinion.

I believed my mother's punishment too harsh. Forcing a five year old to work for seven hours in a kitchen full of potential dangers was too much. Even with the unnatural prodigies that walked this planet.

But I wasn't sure if that opinion of mine was justified, after all I was competent enough to make the punishment work. Still the experience left a sour taste in my mouth, the same as when I found my first flaw in my original parents.

Life, of course, went on and the memory was processed and added to my experience.

1.5 


	5. Hyuuga Hiashi: Master of Eugenics

Hyuuga Hiashi: Master of Eugenics

1.1 transition

He dropped into a flurry blows. Powerful muscles propelled fingers faster than the surrounding air could follow. An expert manipulation of chakra, facilitated by reflex, stopped the sonic boom that should have resulted.

Each time an appendage touched it's target the applied force was modulated to prevent a response. Sometimes it was a tap, others a powerful shove. But the last hit was different.

A hand slammed forward with the force to shatter concrete walls. Even this force left little more mark on its target than the ones before. A tiny depression pushed into the chest of his opponent.

Not that physical force was important to him. He was Hiashi Hyuga and the juuken strike, the last of 32, cut through the upper circles of the Characters network. The destruction of both lungs was an afterthought. Both the original Hiashi and the being that was Hiashi now preferred to be thorough.

The reflexive action finished Hiashi stumbled. As if unused to his body his legs folded up beneath him. His arms shot forward to prevent his fall only for their strength to exceed his expectation and crater the muddy ground underneath them. An undignified yelp, the likes of which this body hadn't uttered in years, was expelled from his throat.

"Yo! Hiashi! the fuck are you doing?" yelled a wild looking woman.

Hiashi knew that woman. He shouldn't have either. Or well, the man who was now Hiashi shouldn't have. But the brain of the original Hiashi remained, even if this seemed to be less important as the new Hiashi clearly seemed to circumvent it somehow. Perhaps it used genjutsu as a vector of influence?

Either way, upon hearing and seeing the woman he knew many things about her. Tsume Inuzuka, the next clan head of the Inuzuka. He liked her in a platonic way. Though there was a note of apprehension and annoyance that fluttered in his stomach when he heard her crass yell.

Wait. Crass? The new Hiashi had never thought her type of behaviour crass. Lying flat on squelching mud, surrounded by green trees on all sides, with his body still trying to adapt to its new controller Hiashi knew shit was complicated.

Still, no matter how annoying and confusing things were he needed to respond. "Mmrrghl!" he moaned. His mouth fumbling his reply.

"Uhm what?"

"Frblll!" Hiashi tried again.

"Oh shit." whined Tsume. "Hey Shibi! Finish up over there. Hyuga-chan got poisoned again."

A deep indignation sparked within Hiashi's chest. Both old and new ego bruised by such word. "Fuuuurrrkk Uuuuuuu!" he managed to bite out. Both old and new desires in sync enough that Hiashi could manage an intelligible response.

Tsume sighed, eyes tightening as she loped towards him. Beneath her steps he could make out quieter squishes. His body told him this was Korumaru, Tsume's Nin-dog Partner. A dangerous sentient in his own right the dog was likely keeping watch as Tsume turned to him. "Yeah you're definitely poisoned. Don't think you've ever cursed around me. Not even that one time we got real drunk."

Quick and efficient her hands began to feel around his body. Testing for damage and entrance areas for poison.

A distance away Hiashi heard a Schlick and then within a second Shibi was there. A shunshin depositing him within arms length.

"Tsume, report."


	6. Growing a Soul (Bleach)

Growing a soul

Chapter 1

'Never again.' I swore to myself, while I examined the stone wall before me. 'Vacations never go well for me. Why would a trip to Japan be any different? No, next time I'm spending my vacation at home.'

The wall in front of me had been crafted by an expert team. Smooth and at the height of a four story family home it would be a devil to scale. Of course life, or death in my case, made sure that this was only the beginning of my troubles.

Sekiseki stones, the material the wall was made from, also happened to cancel out spiritual power. Being a spirit and made from spirit particles it sucked my energy and would make any attempt to scale it tiresome in the extreme.

It was my best option at survival though, I needed an Asauchi. My other option for getting one had been attempting to become a soul reaper or Shinigami as my new spiritual omnilingualism translated the name for me.

But there was no way I was going to manage that. The test for entrance to the Shin'o Academy would kill me no doubt about it. The actual training and job weren't even worth mentioning. Trying to steal an Asauchi from someone who had managed the test seemed equally foolhardy.

So I needed over that wall and I had spent the last three weeks setting up the scenario to make it happen. I shifted the sturdy rope coiled around my upper body and stepped up to the wall.

From my left pocket I pulled a solid metal spike, already my body felt heavy. A *scritch scritch * sounded from the small side alley I was working in.

I had my first true handhold, a terrible one sure and my fingers would be in pain after but that was a price I could pay. About two stories up, three minutes of suffering later, the workmanship turned shoddy.

I had actual natural handholds now. On the other hand, my fingers were bleeding, my arms already shook from the strain of climbing an energy negating wall. Worst was that I was crying. I did manage to put my pick back into my right pocket.

Now came the truly difficult part. The building behind me was two stories tall and I had two more to go. As I forced myself up further the expanse of Rukongai was revealed behind me. Millions lived in the medieval Japanese environment.

It was also a fucking shithole. Here close to the inner district life was okay. Nothing compared to what a society with access to magic, well spiritual mumbo-jumbo but it was basically magic, could do for its people. But not that bad all things said.

Further out the law fell apart though, Gangs ruled with a bloody fist past district 100. Week as I was my ability to self determine was significantly curtailed. I needed some way to protect myself from people who had hit the spiritual lottery and gained superhuman powers.

With the city now visible to me I was visible to it as well. I had made sure it was as dark as it could get in this area but I needed to hurry.

A minute later I reached the top and heaved over the edge. My full body was shaking now and I needed to hurry. Within maybe a minute I might be too weak to go on. As tears and snot rolled across my face, disrupted by the hiccuping of near despair brought on by exhaustion, I tied my rope around a sturdy extrusion. A fumbling push shoved the remaining rope over the edge. I twisted my flailing arms through the rope and roles over the edge, to weak to stand or crouch.

My cheek bleed as I bit it. Forcing down a cry of pain as the rope tore into my arms and my sockets burned from the rapid rip required to slow my body down. Even with long thick sleeves on my clothes my arms were rubbed raw by the time I smacked into the ground.

The climb had been much worse than I expected and I was paying the price for underestimating it. Marshaling what strength I could I rolled away from the wall into an alleyway. With the last of my strength I wrangled a pouch from my back and threw far away from me.

Ten minutes of rest later and I stopped whimpering from exhaustion. Hunger stabbed through me, what little spiritual power I had desperately needed to be refilled. With a quiet groan I crawled to the pouch. I had filled it with bread cheese and a water bottle.

The food had seemed terrible but I wanted to have food incase I needed to quickly escape from the inner district. Now that forethought proved useful in a different way. Ravenously I tore through the meal, making sure to move away the bag while I did. After all there was still more inside.

My hunger sated I was once again as ready as I could be. With a grunt I slung the pack back on my back and walked through the inner district as calmly as I could.

The streets were much cleaner here, with the flagstones even and uniform. I didn't fit in very well but when I did come across someone they didn't seem worried in the slightest. I was just a normal worker after all.

BBBBBBBBBBBBB

Ten minutes later and I was walking through Shin'o Academy. It was grand place, four stories high and a baseball stadium in size. Classes were taking place in lecture halls right next to me. I walked with intent sliding into the mannerisms of a janitor or workman with ease.

I had found a storeroom after searching through the first three hallways and now carted around a bucket and cleaning supplies. No one had come across me yet. A good thing to as I was now deep inside the building with no clearance. Nonchalance would only bring me so far.

But this white and featureless hallway held what I had been searching for. Behind a thick metal do lay my prize. It was locked with powerful Kido that would prevent unwanted entry.

Placing my cleaning supplies down I began to mop the floor in the area near the door. Once I had a nice slick surface I felt ready and put the mop and bucket aside.

From the pack on my back I pulled a jagged palm sized rock splinter and pressed it against the door. The Sekiseki rock I had split from the wall quickly began to neutralize the Kido defending the door, when finished I put it in my right pocket by the spike. Barely a minute later I was having the metal door inward. My heart pounding from the exertion and fear of discovery. That managed I slipped through the opening and into the storeroom.

It was dark inside, only the doorway letting light inside, but I could still row upon row of weapons placed in racks. Long Nodachi hung from the walls while Katana, Wakizashi and Tanto had shelves placed throughout the room.

I didn't know much about how choosing an asauchi worked, only what I had managed to pick up from conversation or remembered of my cursory interest in the Manga. Still I pretty sure I could just pick anything in here and be fine.

Just incase I wandered through the room and let my finger trail the handles of each one. Nothing stood out to me. Good.

No mysterious binding meant my information was fairly accurate. Not that I was all that surprised, it had seen me this far.

I grabbed a plain Wakizashi and put it in its sheath. The whole thing then went straight into my currently empty backpack.

With the stone in my pocket I was already beginning to tire and so left the room it a quiet sigh and slumped shoulders.

"Hey! What are you doing there?!" demanded a male voice as I exited. Only exhaustion kept me from flinching in surprises. A male soul reaper stood in the hallway and had seen me leave the room.

"Man you don't wanna know." I drawled back tiredly. "Some kid pucked fucking every there" I pointed at the spot I had mopped maybe a minute ago. "N that shit seeped under the door. Fucking disgusting man."

The black haired min wrinkled his nose at my pronouncement and turned a gimlet eye at the wet spot. "You know what... I didn't want to know. You were right."

"No shit." I snorted with gruff humor. "You know where I can find someone to lock the door for me?"

"Ugh, the 4th division is having their monthly Ikebana spectacle three hallways to the right. They should be able to help." he spoke as he began to walk away.

I nodded my thanks and turned to pull the door behind me closed.

As soon as the door was pulled tight and the man gone I almost collapsed from relief. That was much too close for comfort and only my blatant paranoia had helped me escape being found out.

Once I packed up my cleaning supplies I walked down the way the man had indicated, just incase he was coming back this way for some reason. Veering of two hallways I strode back to the storeroom I had found on the way in and put back the supplies I had borrowed.

The main goal had been reached. I now possessed an Asauchi without having to go through whatever passed for an entrance exam in this shonen universe. Some of the test people had described were simply too dangerous to ever risk.

With a spring in my I left the room, making sure to check if people were outside this time. No one was and my way from the building.

As I turned onto the final corridor that see me to one of this building's side entrances the world conspired against me.

A thud was all I heard as I rounded the corner and slammed straight into a woman. A surprised intake of breath and a loud crash followed suit.

On the pristine floor lay a ceramic bowl, formerly filled with artfully arranged flowers. Before me stood a woman with murder in her eyes.

Never before had I been so terrified. Her eyes radiated bloodlust and even her breathing seemed to speak of my imminent death.

No thought passed through my mind. Fear bypassing all higher brain functions and heading straight to the reptile portion of my mind.

I sprinted from the building as fast as I could. The *bang* of the side door flinging open announcing my escape. I didn't even bother to look behind me and see whether my death followed. Instead I fumbled in my pocket and drew out the stone. I lobbed it behind me as I heard deaths first footsteps. A thunk and thwump carried to my ears.

Had I managed to trip Death? It sounded like it. The absurd thought that I might have managed to inconvenience my upcoming doom had me cackling in the shrill demented way of desperate.

How long I ran I didn't know. The memory of my escape a haze of hot red terror burning in my eyes and veins. Only when I turned into the alley I had found rest in after my climb across the wall did a semblance of thought return to me.

The rope still hung from the top and if I was lucky then I could scamper up and over the wall within moments. Perhaps the stones would save me from certain death. Odd... How while climbing up it the first time it seemed like hell and now, having been confronted with the actual devil Rukongai and climbing the wall seemed a better alternative.

*Tap*

As my body was wrenched to a standstill my heart stopped. A deceptively soft and delicate hand held my shoulder with the strength of a giant. My poor abused right shoulder almost cracked from that alone. It had suffered far too much for one day.

"Don't worry, I won't harm you." spoke death from behind me. A beautiful calm voice devoid of malice and seething hatred.

With a single hand Death pulled me from the ground and turned me to look at her.

Long black hair, braided into a thick ponytail down the front of her body, framed a calm and curios face. Death was beautiful, a mature but youthful woman who exuded caring and kindness.

But I knew better. It was an act and beneath the facade roiled a seething ocean of violence and bloodlust. The desire to hurt, maim, kill and worse oozed past her behaviour and cloyed my mind with fear.

In the face of the inevitable my mind gave up. Better a quick death of my own choice than what this demon would devise. Without hesitation I bit off my tongue and my mind forced itself unconscious.

Maybe this escapade hadn't been my best idea.

Chapter 2Unohana Retsu:

Well that was new, I've never been hit by a Sekkiseki stone before. I'll remember that trick for the next time I fight someone. It really threw off my game. I even tripped when my reiatsu output was suddenly lower than expected.

Ha! He looks kinda cute like that, with the blood dripping from his mouth. I pry open his jaw as the blond male dangles unconscious in my grip.

That's a nice clean bite there. How teeth must be rather sharp. Hmm... Yep, some of his teeth are missing around his sharp front teeth. He probably ate large amounts of meat as well seeing as his teeth aren't as flat as the average peasant.

The males blood pitter patters on the cobblestone street, dripping down from the edges of his mouth to his chin and then the floor.

Should I leave him? No saving him will hardly be an issue. Even he did break my flower arrangement. Besides if I leave him here then the alleyway will be dirty.

My left hand fishes out the remains of his tongue and presses it to the bleeding stump. A quick flexing of my spiritual might later a silent kido binds his flesh together again. With a precise application of spiritual pressure the blood in his mouth is scooped out and flung over the wall into a back alley in Rukongai.

While I lick the blood off my left hand I make a mental note to have someone push that alley back. It's clearly to close to wall if someone managed to climb it unnoticed.

My hand clean I heft the male over my shoulder. His blood has already told me much about him. No disastrous illnesses, a propensity for shortsightedness, weight gain and mental problems. He needed to watch his diet a little more and get some more sun but otherwise nothing of note.

*tap*

And I stood at the top of the wall looking at where the man had tied his escape rope. With a foot I tore it from the wall, letting the remains fall to the street I had come from.

*Tap*

I was at the entrance to the alley way where I stopped the man. My eyes roamed the street, seeing crumbs where the man had slake his hunger after climbing the wall. Clever again that man.

Why hadn't he signed up for yesterday's Gotten 13 tryouts? If he had the related to climb a multi story wall of Sekkiseki stone then even a commoner with no experience in combat could have made the tryouts. It's not like they were very dangerous. A physical fitness test designed for beginners, a spar to test combat aptitude and a written test should be well within this man's abilities. I guess I'll ask him later.

*Tap* *Tap* *Tap*

Three steps of shunpo and I stood in front of medical ward of Shin'o Academy.

Yukia, the on duty nurse, bolts up from her chair. The haphazard organisation of her wooden desk tells she was working hard, small ink smudges on her left hand confirm the thought for me. I burry my irritation at the man on my shoulders deep within before I smile a gentle smile. "Good day Yukia-san. Do you mind if I use your infirmary to look over this joint man?"

"Not at all Captain Unohana! Is there anything I can help you with?" my demeanor seems to have calmed her. Good.

"Only if you have few moments free." Yukia nods eager to be of help to a captain. "Then please go to my usual Ikebana room and inform the members I will be unable to attend today."

"As you wish captain Unohana."

"Thank you Yukia-san," The cute Shinigami scampers off on her quest. Her shapely bottom wiggling to and fro.

With my left I pull up a chair while my right deposits the male on a hard infirmary bed. Demure as can be I sit down and examine the body before me. Physically he is nothing special, a little chubby as his blood had informed me he would be. He didn't wear glasses though, that would need to be remedied.

My lungs expand as I breathe in. As I exhale I allow a tiny portion of my spiritual pressure to suffused the room, the bed creaks in protest.

Closing my eyes I focus on sensing the way his spirit energy reacts to mine. Easily my energy encases him pushing down his pressure. I feel no immediate oddities, everything behaves uniformly. No abnormal output either, just clean healthy reiatsu. He seems very weak. Not surprising as he spent a significant portion of his day suppressed and siphoned from.

Another breath and I increase the pressure. My chair begins to distend under the pressure, the males breathing turns labored as his chest is compressed. I flex my pressure, allowing it swirl through the room in waves and currents big and small. Sifting through foreign particles NY allowing the heaviest to sink through the strong streams into weakens ones. Again nothing seems strange. The males particles no more compact than average.

But that made no sense. He would have had to unusually powerful to manage the climb over the wall. Nothing truly extraordinary but above the average initiate.

Intrigued I dug deeper still. Applying hundreds of years of medical skill to tease apart this man's soul. Until, past layer after layer of normal spirit particles becoming denser the deeper I went, I found the oddity. At the very lowest level of his being there a single microscopic speck of spirit energy denser than all his excess pressure added together. It wasn't doing much, putting out no more pressure than a normal for the core of a Shinigami. But it did seem to suck in a fraction of its own 'mass' from the surrounding reshi. Of greater import was that she could no more compress this core of spiritual pressure than she could pull it apart to look deeper.

It wasn't solid Reshi like her chair or clothes. Still behaving clearly showing the hallmarks of usable spirit energy but it simply so dense that nothing else could really affect it.

Strange and interesting as this odd discovery was it did at least answer how the male had managed to climb the services wall. As dense and intractable as his center was there would always be at least some energy available to the man. No matter how much the stones tried to syphon, though with how small the amount of strange energy was he would have been incapable of movement by the end of his climb. Suffering from acute, but not life-threatening, exhaustion. Just as he was right before her.

The first mystery solved, and many new ones found, I allowed his soul and spirit particles to drift back together into a cohesive whole. With each new inhale my spiritual pressure receding.

A few hallways away I could hear Yukia's shoes tapping on the floor. She was already on her way back? A fast worker that one.

Now I just needed to wait till the male woke. Oh, and send Isane-chan a message. I would be late for tea today.

Chapter 3

Something was tickling me, soft appendages ghosted along my neck. Ten different delicate fingers clasping my throat. Feeling for my pulse and tracing along my jaw.

"I know you are awake." said a polite feminine voice. Warm breath gusting past the back of my head as I lay turned down on a bed.

I shivered the warm breath contrasting with the colder ambient temperature of whatever room I was in. Then I remembered what events precipitated my awaking here. "Mrglflrgl!" I groaned into the pillow under my head.

The hands left my throat as the being-likely a woman- leaned back from me. "Don't be crass. You are healthy enough to be polite. And I expect you to make use of that." the woman spoke.

Sitting up straight and turning to the woman I complied. "Please forgive my rudeness. My name is..." The words caught in my throat as I was suddenly face to face with Death. Fear rushed through my chest and seemed to drown me in its cloying embrace.

Death smiled at me, demure and innocent. There was an amazing contrast in how she looked and how I experienced her. To my eyes she seemed the ideal Japanese Yamato Nadeshiko. But in an almost instinctive part of my perception she could have been no more different if she were a T-rex eating a nursery.

I could feel tightly controlled power swirling in a shell around her. It was unlike anyone else I had perceived since my entrance to Soul Society. Like a cage or perhaps armor it surrounded her, keeping her tightly contained. This weave of power seemed as polite and amicable. But I could feel the occasional wisp of pure malevolence slip from between closing cracks.

Seeking to stay the Demon's hand I forced choked words from my throat. "M-my name is Sean. Sean Kingston. An... Honor to meet you Miss?"

A quiet chuckled escapes Death throat. "You flatter me, to call me Miss." She shakes her head bemused. "My name is Unohana Retsu, a Captain of the Gotei 13. Squad 4.

"I should call you captain Unohana then?" I ask.

A smile curls her lips. "Yes you should Kingston-Kun. Now that we've got that out of the way please explain why you snuck into Shin'o Academy?" Her left hand taps against my asauchi's sheath. "And stole one of these too."

Resigned to my fate I flop back down to the bed. "There was no way for to survive whatever tests you had to select Shinigami aspirants." I shrug. "I have no combat experience nor do I have large amounts of spiritual energy. But I needed some kind of edge if I wished to live in Rukongai and have a prayer of defending myself against those that do."

I lay my right hand on the asauchi's hilt. "This could have been that edge. Even just being able to bluff competence on my part would have been a boon."

Captain Unohana stayed relaxed in her chair, thinking my words through. "I can see where you are coming from, Kingston-kun. Though I think you would passed the entrance exam with little trouble."

I sent her a searching look. All the people I had asked had told me gruesome stories of the exams. Multi Kilometer long runs while being attacked by deadly ninja had been the tamest examples.

Amusement painted the captains features. My heart nearly stopped, arrested by her dignified beauty. "You fell pray to the first hurdle of our test. We seed the closest districts to the Seireitei with false information on the test. It helps weed out the cowards and keeps the test from being easily predictable."

"Ahh." My face blanked at the revelation. Finding that I had fallen for such a trick neatly reminded me of one of my greater failings. I was willing to believe anything, so long as I had no evidence against it. That this tendency had bitten me this hard stung, not as much as my coming punishment would though. I was sure of that.

"Yes, I imagine so." The captain affirmed, still amused by the idea.

I forced my thoughts out of the fog that clouded it after such a harsh revelation and turned to look her directly in the eyes. "What happens now?"

She cocked her head to the side in thought, examining me with inhuman intensity. "That depends on you. I am willing to offer you the opportunity to repay your crimes. If you refuse you will be executed."

The choice was simple. Even if her repayment method was unacceptable I could always kill myself. The death would likely be less painful than execution as well. "I accept"

"I thought you would." Captain Unohana was smiling again. It had gain a hard edge though.

5 Years later:

"Seeeaaaan!" pouted Akira. "Stop abusing me! I'm your Zanpakuto spirit not your slave!"

Within my spiritscape bounced a lithe eyes, set in a delicate face, widened for maximum cuteness. Akira, as my Zanpakuto spirit liked to be called, was taller than me with a height of 6.4 and built with the physique of a high performance athlete or martial artist.

Unfazed I replied "I'm not abusing you. It is completely reasonable of me to want you to shower after you work out."

Akira's pout disappeared and was replaced by a saucy demeanor. "Don't lie to me Sean, you love my womanly musk~" she leaned into my body, trapping me in the comfortable armchair I had fled to as she began another round of vigorous exercise in her part of my soul.

"No. No I really don't. And stop wiping your sweat on me!" I tussled with her, trying to force her away.

"Haha! You'll never get rid of me! I win once again!" she gloated, having wrestled me into submission. "Ooo~h what I could do with you now."

I forced my will onto my soul, a task that still required far more effort than I was comfortable with, and was free. Clean and unruffled back in my char. A foot in front of me Akira tumbled to the ground, no longer held aloft by my body. "Dreadful and deviant things, I'm sure." My drawl cut through her surprised yelp.

"Seeeeaaan~!"

Before Akira could start again I interjected. "Your slovenly state disregarded, we have much to do today. Are you up for it?"

All manner of teasing fell away from my Zanpakuto. "Of course Sean. I'm always ready, you know that."

I continued to glance down at her body on my soul floor. If I didn't know her better that might have undermined the message. "I prefer to ask. You should know you are appreciated."

"I do." She smiled, completely assured.

As I freed myself from the confines of my inner world I replied. "Good."

A *click* resounded through the quiet room as I resealed my Zanpakuto in its sheath. With a *whup* I shoulder a bag holding my personal valuables, books and a pillow, and made my way from the empty room.

I closed the flimsy wooden dorm room door behind as I leave my previous place of residence. It had taken me the normal five years to pass the Shin'o Academy and this was where I had lived during that time. Now I would be moving into the Fourth Squads Barack, as Captain Unohana had required of me in return for sparing me from execution.

As I left the dorm behind I waved goodbye to Yukio. A grunt is all I got in return.

My walk through Seireitei was slow and serene. I watched as people moved through clean and ordered streets, how they experienced the calm of midday in colorful markets. It was a beautiful place. Even with Rukongai never far away and the subtle tenor of militarization seeping from the Shinigami.

At five my feet carried to the blocky Barack of Division Four. It's stylised Bellflower insignia display prominently on the harsh concrete buildings. While I technically came in through the front entrance there was actually an entrance with significantly more thoroughfare on the opposite side, as that entrance lead directly to the Coordinated Relief Station.

From my entrance it was much easier to reach the living quarters and administrative areas of Division Four as a whole. An important distinction as my division was essentially a Logistics/Janitorial/Medical composite, with the hospital on a fraction of our total duties.

Walking in I searched for and found the person responsible for lodgings. They barely responded to me, shooing me away after handing over a thick stack of documents.

On top of the inch thick stack he placed the key to my new room, room 102. Loaded down as I was I decided to find my new quarters and make myself comfortable.

After walking down long empty concrete hallways, having horror movie flashbacks all the while, I found and let myself in.

There were four rooms to the little flat. The first room held a small non stocked kitchen and living room. With only a table to eat at, two chairs and a couch there was little to find pleasing. Though there was also nothing to be bothered by. On the opposite wall time the entrance were three doors. The left and right opened into a tiny bedroom with a small window looking onto a grey concrete courtyard. The center door opened into our bathroom,it contained a toilet, sink and shower.

All in all the entire place reminded me of the massive housing projects that almost invariably degenerated into ghettos. Or a military outpost, not very surprising that.

Given a year or two of middling work, or an amiable roommate, I would be able to escape this dreary shithole and rent a more accommodating living space.

Being the first, and hopefully only, occupant of rooms 102 I slopped my bag onto the hard bed in the left bedroom. Placing my papers onto the night table to its left left. Before I did anything else I sat down on my new bed and released my shikai. "Expand, Akira"

The sword I had worn attached to my sash glowed a soft blue as an inch of its blade peaked above the sheath. The next moment my hands and arms were clad in soft, dark leather glove that reached from my fingertips to my elbows. Plates of dark marine blue metal were placed from fingertip to wrist, overlapping and sharp like shark scales.

That aspect of my shikai was dangerous by itself, though mainly to me. An errant grasp could shear skin from flesh quite easily. Not ideal when scratching an itch. I only felt comfortable using it because of the power that came with Akira. But there was one more part that made Akira's help crucial. At the very tips of my fingers there were threads. Like all Zanpakuto their dimension varied depending on how much lower the Shinigami channeled to the Zanpakuto.

I had trained long and hard to limit how much energy I channeled to Akira because even with my small uncontrolled pool of energy the threads could become meters long and thick as noodles. That made my already cumbersome weapon inconvenient.

Akira helped with that, thank God. As far as the Shinigami clarification system was concerned Akira was a personal support type. Her power limited to enhancing my ability to learn to use and utilize Akira's shikai Form. No one was particularly surprised at my lackluster power, truly powerful Zanpakuto were rare after all. And simple things like mine were fairly common.

I had thought so too. While a better power would have been nice there enough glorious shenanigans I could pull as a hyper-competent puppet master of death, or a trapper on demand.

After three days of slowly getting over my disappointment, hiding it as best I could so as to not seem ungrateful. Akira noticed I had misunderstood her power. She had chastised me for doubting her magnificence and then informed me that she was not limited to helping me use her (the innuendo had flown thickly at that declaration).

She could help me improve at anything.

Of course there were a few restrictions on her ability. The two main ones were that my spiritual power could only keep her manifested for so long, five minutes at the start three hours after almost three years of training, and that she only accelerated my improvement so much.

As an example I had spent the last three years since learning her name improving my skill at manifesting her and increasing the rate I improved at. I could keep her unsealed for three hours a day now, quite long for a mook like me, and given around 365 hours of practicing any skill I could master it to human limits. Of course, currently, practice required tools and ingredients so if I decided that I wanted to become a world-class chef, from a technique perspective, I would also need 365 hours worth of cooking supplies.

Still, it was definitely a useful ability after my years of steady improvement. And it would only get better given time.

With the ease of long practice I flexed my fingers and manipulated my reshi output. The metal string trailing from my fingertips thinned to the width of tooth floss as arced through the air and wrapped up my fingers. With deft timing beyond a common human, and some guidance from my reshi, I twisted my arm. The thin strings interweaving and layer up my hands and arms.

My lips curled in happiness, that was always cool to do. Gauntlets now covered by the far more forgiving latticework of metal strings I grabbed the thick stack of documents from my bedside table, as well as a pencil from my bag of belongings, and set to work.

Some might wonder why I chose to use the limited resource of shikai while I did my paperwork. The answer was simple.

When I had found out the mechanics of my shikai I had needed to create a system that made optimal use of it.

Akira and I settled on a three way split.

The foundational third was reserved for emergency use such as unexpected combat.

The second third was originally intended to be used for sparing in Shin'o Academy but was broadened to encompass all work related usage of my shikai.

The final third was unrestricted in principal. If I ever felt something could be helped by, but did not require, the use of my Shikai it came from here. In practice this was very rarely used for anything but improving the limits of my shikai. It was this third that had allowed me to use my Shikai far more frequently.

This system made clear why I used my shikai to improve my ability to do paperwork. Working through the documents before me was my job and being able to do so better would only help me in the future.

Which is why five minutes later the documents were finished and my ability to do paperwork had improved by a small amount.


	7. Expanding Creation (HarryPotterExalted)

Expanding Creation

An experiment

Harry Potter Arc 1: Find a way into Hogwarts and the student Body, Have trouble with the course work, first limit breaks. Hint at all Exalted types. Chapter 1: See Sol and Luna's chosen, have them meet, begin planning for infiltration. 1.1

Samantha's breath came in great gasping lung fulls. Blood seeped from long jagged cuts and tears. Not just from Samantha though.

No, in the ally lay the bodies of fifteen men. Some groaned, a few cried, the rest were silent and dead. Samantha had little time.

Tired, quiet steps neared a young man with bright green eyes and short brown hair. He was perhaps fifteen, young and stupid he had made a bad decision today. His arms were broken at the forearm and one leg had a shattered kneecap. Dimitrov was his name and he cried from the pain.

Samantha's left arm snapped forward, the heavy almost two inch thick slab of metal clutched in a hand whistled through the air. The boys other knee shattered, he cried louder. It was a keening sound that tore through the air.

He was defenceless now. His limbs no longer had the reach to defend him from his attacker. Not that they would have managed that before. Samantha just wasn't taking any chances.

Two more heavy thwacks and the alley was one voice quieter. Dimitrov's skull a punctured husk that leaked the pulped remains of his frontal lobe.

With the boy's silence the other voices grew louder. Each man seeing his approaching mortality.

The process repeated almost a dozen times. And with each voice that stopped the others became more and more desperate. Begging for mercy, pleading for forgiveness, threatening dire retribution anything in the hope of escaping death.

Samanthas hand and arms hurt by the time there was only one person left. The limbs aching from the unusual task. Each broken skull requiring a massive force to make the first break.

Black hair edging into gray topped the last remaining man's head. His brown eyes locked onto Samantha's shadowed blue. He could see the bone deep weariness there. And a numb shock that seeped into every action.

Samantha didn't need to prepare this one. His limbs already out of commission. Like before Samantha stepped behind the man's head. Making sure he could not lung and bite her.

The man, Mikhail, a father of two beautiful young girls hated Samantha with every fiber of his being. He didn't want to leave his daughters behind. Their mother already. But in his last moments he didn't think of them. He forced, with a supreme act of will, his lungs to obey him just one more time. To let his killer know of his hatred and to exact one last vengeance from the other.

"Burn in Hell faggot! You are no son of mine!" He spat with all his might. The word leaving him with a roar.

Samantha flinched, hands shaking around the metal object held with both hands. The words pierced past the numbness. Past the calluses of past hurt and hit on the vulnerability kept best defended.

Mikhail's eyes seemed to gleam as he lapped on the hurt he had caused. The tears that crept into blue eyes. The trembling in Samantha's arm grew stronger. For a moment it seemed everything had become too much. That this last pain would shatter what had survived the violence of before.

Then blue eyes hardened with primal resolve and two arms propelled a slab of steel down.

Mikhail's head popped like a grape and the concrete beneath it shattered at the strike.

Blue and silver light burst forth and the alley was filled with power as Samantha took her second breath.

1.1.1

Then she was gone from the Alleyway and in a dark forest. Massive fir trees the size of Redwoods formed a thick circle around the clearing she was in. Between their towering canopies and across their divides hung thick vines each the size of her wrist in width. A myriad of different, smaller and more colorful, plants filled every opening or niche creating an almost solid wall of flora.

All around Samantha could hear the chittering of insect, the chattering of animals and even the earth-shaking roar of a massive reptile.

But all of that paled in importance to the feelings in her body.

1.1.2

With a clack a silver tiled piece found its place upon The Board.

"Mmm That was a good move. Masterful even. But do not think it was too harsh?" Asked a perfect voice.

"No, it is a good move. And I have planned for you to follow through." Replied a voice filled with infinite variety. From the song of birds to the grin of a Cheshire cat. Each part fit into a Symphony of inconceivable beauty.

For a moment all was still. "You know me well. I am glad." said the perfect voice.

A different piece is moved, this one shining bright and gold. The game continues.

1.2

He burned. Marc was filled with fire. A Sun seemed to flare in his chest. Thick bouts of plasma roiled beneath his skin and left him gasping for air. But it felt so good, so right. This power made him want to do, to act and place his mark upon the world with his own incandescent radiance.

There was more to the fire than just the feel of it in his center. Like a bonfire he blazed golden light that reached to the sky and burned all shadows from his surroundings. A hundred million white glowing symbols whirled throughout the multi mile wide phenomenon. Forming into oaths sacred and banal.

Which wasn't very good for him. Since he currently stood in the center of a busy pedestrian street. Curses and shouts resounded through the streets as men and women were suddenly blinded by the light.

Marc was already running. His mind blazed with thoughts even as the power in his body let him dash towards a cyclist with inhuman speed. With great leap he kicked the man from his saddle and slid on himself. Without even a moment's pause Marc was peddling down the packed street. Dodging people and stalls where he could.

His darting eyes let examine all there was to see. A security guard fumbling for a gun he had no training with, another diving behind a food stall to call for dispatch. From the shouts and writing he noticed on signs Marc could tell he was in England.

He wasn't quite sure how he'd ended up here, a moment ago he'd been trying to solve a particularly difficult problem at home. But taking the time to puzzle that out didn't seem intelligent when blazing like a lighthouse.

Instead he continued his mad escape. Flashing past stores and buildings as his legs began to burn with exertion. Ahead he saw the busy street open on to wider rode. Cars drove by but he could already see their reaction to his bonfire.

Then a pop. He missed the sound in the cacophony of everyone else's screaming. But the man that popped into existence at the very edge of the road was clearly unusual.

Marc also knew what the man was. Light Brown robes, physically powerful and with a 9+ inch length of wood gripped tightly in a hand he was clearly a wizard.

A second later there were ten simultaneous pops as apparition deposited people in the streets. Besides Marc no one noticed their presence. Though they clearly reacted to it.

Immediately the screaming stopped and people swayed where they stood.

Marc didn't know what exactly was happening as the sounds of London ceased to reach him. So he needed a new 'plan'.

He forced a sliding turn that saw his bicycle's handlebars a centimeter from the cobblestone. Where he had been a moment before flashes of light passed through empty air. Marc pushed off the still sliding bike as it reached the end of its curve, any longer and it would need to be pulled back up.

The plasma in his veins worked with him as he rolled off the energy of his dismount, skidding in to a small clothes store. Within a moment he was sprinting deeper into the store.

The light of his... Soul helped him now. Not as great a problem as before. Together with his sun he turned to the completion of his plan.

Perhaps a minute later two people entered. A tall butch white woman and an average sized but wiry black man, both squinted from the shining light that filled the store. They said something but Marc could not hear them. Only watch their mouths move. The woman waved her wand, perhaps to dim the light but it seemed nothing changed.

Together the two carefully entered deep into the clothes store. Nearly back to back they passed through racks of jackets and jeans. They found nothing. Even after five minutes of careful examination.

Until a rack just ahead of the black man slid across the ground. The shock had him shout. Though Marc heard nothing. Both the man and the woman twitched around aiming a wand towards the movement.

Which is when Marc struck. A single step let him burst the rack the two people had twitched away from. With what strength came easily to him he slammed a heavy wooden board against the man's head from behind. The board splintered against his skulls and the man was slammed forward. Even as the man fell, not unconscious sadly as he was catching himself, Marc slipped behind the woman.

Wrapping a hand behind her head and another around her neck he placed the metal curve of a clothes hanger at her throat. It's tip bent straight enough to do damage to the soft flesh it touched.

"Now I don't know what goings on!" Marc yelled, adrenalin pumping harder than it ever had.

He never managed to finished his thought as the woman he had tried to take hostage twisted in one smooth motion. A flash of thought passed through his mind. Apparition. "Forest!" He belted out in a desperate plea.

And it worked. For a moment he squeezed through a space much to small for him. A measure of his powers wanted to flash out, shattering the effect on him. But he suppressed it on reflex. Then both were through.

"Argh!" Screamed the woman in his arms and a wet liquid spurted forth from where her arm had been just a moment before. Around them the chattering of squirrels ceased and the forest clearing was emptied of animals as they bolted from the sudden invaders.

Marc sighed. At least something had gone well, hoping her destination would change with his distraction was rather foolhardy. The steady pulsing of plasma in his veins, though less insistent than at his first notice, brought him back to the moment. He needed to act now. Not waste time. With a rip Marc tore his shirt open and began to tie of the woman's damaged limb.

1.3

A great cat hid in the environs of London Central Zoo.

It hadn't been easy, hiding while her Anima blazed miles high and wide. But Samantha, with a little prodding from her patron Luna, had managed. By the time the park- in England! Imagine that. Samantha had never left Russia herself.- was cleared of people, due to a "Bomb threat", her Anima was dimmed again.

The last few hours had been difficult as she had spent it carefully stalking a large pigeon, while also slipping past the police squads that combed through the zoo. Now she pounced.

Like a flickering shadow she bounded forward and snapped it's thin neck between her powerful jaws. It's blood seeped into her massive maw and she enjoyed the taste of her kill. A few powerful chomps and the pigeons heartsblood slid down her gullet.

Samantha spit the now useless mangled corpse from her mouth. While it pleased her instincts to taste it, it wasn't actually very pleasant to her human mind. Then, like the shifting of thick sludge her form began to change. Catalyzed by the quicksilver in her veins. Her snout shrank and reformed as a small beak, fore paws became dirty grey wings until ten seconds later a large pigeon was hoping foot to foot.

With a flutter of wings and a triumphant cry the pigeon escaped the bounds of gravity for the first time.

Soaring, as best a filthy pigeon could, Samantha looked down upon London from above.

Where should go now? She asked herself. Well, Luna said I need to become a student at Hogwarts. So finding Wizards of some kind would be a start. Diagonally would be a good start. Or maybe the Ministry. How to find them though?

It was clear to her that even with her top down view searching all of London just wouldn't get her anywhere in a reasonable time frame. And that was without taking magical methods of protection into account.

Hrmm. For five minutes Samantha allowed her instincts to fly her around while she turned the thought over in her mind.

Aha! Within moments she was flying towards a deserted alleyway. Ten seconds later she stepped forth and into a phone booth at the side of a busy road.

While she flicked through a ragged phonebook her mind set to the task of planning a conversation. Luck was on her side and she found what she was looking for.

The Granger's dentist practice was in the yellow pages. Now all she needed was a map to show her the way.

It was two hours later that Samantha the pigeon rested on the roof of a building across from the practice. It was nearing evening and the sun was beginning to set. She wasn't sure how such things went but it seemed reasonable to her that one of the Grangers would be here. Getting ready to leave hopefully. Samantha wasn't looking forward to her night if she couldn't smooze of the Grangers.

It's not she had any English money. The exchange rate wouldn't be in her favor either and so getting a room somewhere off her fifty? would be tough. Doable, but tough.

Out the front door of the old tall brick house, but thin like most of inner London architecture, walked a woman. She wasn't very tall, or truly noteworthy. But she did have frizzy brown, which was all Samantha needed.

With a little push of her talons she fell from the ledge, and let the wind catch under her wings.


	8. Calorie Control (Naruto)

Calorie Control

1.1

I am Chouza Akimichi.

My son is intelligent, almost unnaturally so.

He was using Chakra within a week of his birth. I still remember the chilling cry of my wife when she came across our baby boy in the throes of a repeating genjutsu. It had cost a lot of money to fix the wall through which my beautiful wife crashed as she bolted to the hospital.

The doctors found nothing wrong with Choji. Well, wrong wasn't really the right word. There was nothing artifical going on. Choji was just pushing his Chakra into creating a genjutsu on himself.

Not that he should be able to do that. Babies could only create the complex Chakra constructs required for genjutsu by accident. Much more common was an intermittent strengthening effect. Which was much simpler, all it took was shunting extra Chakra to the muscles that needed strengthening.

Choji was failing, of course. His "Genjutsu" no more than a fuzzy static layer across his infant mind.

To prevent future dangers to our baby boy, messing with the mind was dangerous enough for a professional, Chiharu and I were taught a variant on genjutsu disruption that was much softer than the norm.

The shock stuck with my wife long past this incident and I had to grow accustomed to waking up alone every so often. As she had gone to check up on her baby.

He was rather fussy, in a peculiar way. When he was hungry, thirsty or in need of cleaning he would cry out in short sets. One set of two whines for hunger/thirst and two for cleaning.

Taking care of Choji was almost a breeze because of it. If not for his need to be entertained near constantly he might have been the happiest baby he had ever seen.

But he did need entertaining. It was tiring, Choji loved, LOVED listening to stories. Or just listening to people in general. With a disturbing campaign of psychological warfare, I have trouble calling it anything else as Choji's behaviour was to effective to be accidental, he terrorized the clan until his needs were met.

Even I as clan head had to bow to pressure eventually, now I took him along to clan meetings when no else had the time deal weigh him. Otherwise Choji had people cycling through a schedule to keep him entertained.

Were it not for the fact that Choji was willing to listen to most anything. From children's stories to tax forms this would have placed a major pain onto the clan.

Instead it became more common to have Choji sitting in the communal study room for students. Where there was almost always someone who needed to read through a textbook or practice their pronunciation.

It was perhaps less of surprise to me because if this inundation with language and learning when Choji began to puzzle out Japanese. His understanding progressed in leaps and bounds, the main limiter being his lack of experience with his vocal cords.

He began to give "help" to the students who had graciously read to him for months. His start was sporadic. Many failures teaching him that no... A sentence was not structured that way. But he learned and within a month of his first attempt he had a firm grip on spoken language.

Imperious, or as imperious as a one-year old could be, he began to overlook those that read to him. Cutting them off when they faltered. By two his command of the language was exceptional. Choji was fully capable of conversation and perhaps even reasoning. If his vicious debates in the study hall were anything to go by.

Apparently he had managed to pick up on most maths and sciences already. His great bane was the written word. Where his other learning made one question if he had not known the answers all along he had terrible trouble internalizing Japanese writing. Which was doubly odd as I had found a devilish cypher he had created.

Bringing some of his notes, all written in this strange system as Choji was much better with it than the alternative, to our codebreakers had them crying tears of impotent fury.

They failed completely, his cypher was whole incongruous and seemed to contain more exceptions than was reasonable. It went so far into difference that Ibiki termed it a language all its own.

At three Choji was asked, politely, to explain how it worked. He proved willing, though as all children he arrogantly demanded recompense.

I chastised him for this. Reminding him of his duty to the village. He proved stubborn but this was important and I took the four hours to calmly explain to my son that his duty to Konoha and the Clan superseded anything else.

This discussion was the second time dealing with my son that I was chilled to bone. He was calm and as ordered as I while he tried to explain why he did not feel beholden to the village. Nor was he emotionally tied to the wellbeing of the clan in any significant way. He cared for them but that was it. In his mind He came first and everything else was only important in relation to him.

It took every ounce of discipline that I had not to shudder or rage as the little pudgy boy my wife and I had brought into this world explained how little he cared for the village and clan I held in highest esteem.

Shouting and screaming would have done no good though. Instead I went into great detail on the advantages and disadvantages of his position as clan heir.

By the end his opinion had shifted, to my relief. He was willing to help the village and had a deeper appreciation for his clan.

This was good but not enough. Back home many hours later, after a long lecture during which Choji explained the basics of "English" to the gathered cryptologists. I spoke with Chiharu.

"Wife, Choji will not be going to the Academy next year."

Sitting at the hardwood table in our private dining area my gorgeous wife turned to me. Her lips twisting into a worried frown. "Why? What happened? Choji seemed fine when he came back. He listened to his bedtime story like usual."

I sagged in my chair, gesturing her over. She came and moulded into my lap. Some of the tension left me, her closeness always a balm to my stress. "I think Choji has grown to fast. He has few bonds that hold worth to him and that worries me. We will have to accelerate the schedule for meeting Ionichi's and Shikaku's children. Creating a tight bond with them will help I think."

Chiharu sighed into my chest. "Well, now I know you're worried. You barely answered half my questions. Explain it to me in detail. Get it off your chest, you know how much that helps you think things through."

My wife was right. Explaining what had happened today and laying out my conclusions did helped.

Chiharu was hit hard by our talk. Her perception of Choji as a caring, loving boy at odds with the calculating nature I had seen today.

But she was a strong woman, I would not have married her otherwise. The next day she spent with Choji. Teasing and prodding her son until she felt she had understood where he stood. That helped, he loved her, and me too I suppose. He cared for the clan as well, in his own way. But there was no fire there. The passion that marked Konoha's citizens was missing. His... Love? was cold and implacable, more possessiveness and greed.

He was still young though and this could be changed at least a little bit. Within a week I set up a recurring play date with the next generation of the Ino-Shika-Cho.

It was important to keep Choji learning even if he wasn't going to the Academy early. So I spent the early mornings teaching Choji the basics of Chakra manipulation. Starting with the first and second Akimichi hidden-art. As Akimichi we had three basic yang arts that everyone needed to learn. The first was storing Chakra within our fat. Which was a simple seal less jutsu initiated after any meal. The second was a Chakra circulation technique, normally done in a meditative pose. This was perhaps the most important skill of an Akimichi as it kept us healthy. By pushing the right forms of yang Chakra through the body blood vessels were kept clean and functional, the heart was strong and much more.

Choji learned well, if not exceptionally fast. By the time he entered the Academy he had the two skills well in hand.

1.2

I am Ino Yamanaka and I love my friends!

They're great! Not that I can tell them that. I mean. Shikamaru is probably the laziest genius I've ever come across. And I visit his clan every other day! But he really is a good friend, I remember that one time we were sparring against daddy -who had been real mean to that day, I so did deserve that hairpin!- and he came up with a super complicated plan that had us ambush dad from behind a lamppost. Just one lamppost for all three of us! Something like that takes a TACTICAL GENIUS! Hehe... Sorry 'bout that. It's an inside joke Choji came up with. But yeah, Shikamaru helped cheer me up that day, even when it was "Troublesome".

Speaking of Choji, that's my other friend, he's sooo~ difficult to motivate. Not even my cutest pout can make him do something he doesn't want to. And he eats so much! Ugh, if he weren't the Akimichi heir he'd never find a girlfriend. As it is I already have to keep golddiggers away. Not just older ladies either. There was this one girl in the Academy who kept bullying him (well she tried at least, Choji was in his genjutsu again and didn't ever notice) because she wanted his attention. Mainly because her parents were always talking him up.

I shut that shit down! No hussy is getting at my friends. Besides I showed her how to get herself a man later. Being mean doesn't get you affection. I told dad about it too. After he scolded me for using clan jutsu to find out other people's secrets he dealt with the parents. Totally coincidentally I got a great big cake the next day. For "Demonstrating proficiency in clan techniques and espionage".

But Choji has his good points too. He arranged for me to meet my personal sensei. Anko-nee-san has been really helpful. She's been teaching me about poisons, genjutsu, teasing guys, T&I and more! I'm even getting the chance to practice my psychology when dealing with her. Anko-nee-san has major abandonment issues that have spiraled into a host of problems. Course, when I'm done with her she'll be ready and raring to go. She's such a sweetheart, she deserves all the help I have to give.

Not that Choji is only a good friend because he gets me gifts or anything. It's always fun talking to him, especially when all three of us take the time to relax and watch the clouds.

But I need to reign in my internal monologue now. I've got to push the boys into training today. It's nice and sunny outside, the skies a beautiful shade of blue and we've all learned our first signature clan technique now. For the first time we can practice an Ino-Shika-Cho formation.

1.3

I am Shikamaru Nara.

This village is full of insane people. To my shame I seem to be one of them.

Sitting in the cluttered Hokage's office I can come up with no other explanation for why I might have followed Choji in his scheme. Oh wait, I do remember. It's because dealing with problems now would save us work in the long-run. Saving the world, feh!

"How are you doing Choji, Shikamaru?" asked the old man sitting behind the Hokage's desk.

"Very well thank you." I answered. Choji echoed me. The Hokage seemed annoyed. Perhaps that was because of the thick stacks of paperwork filling his desk or maybe it was just Choji.

I could see a manic energy suffusing my plump friend. From personal experience I knew this was his reaction to fear, worry and/or stress. Having seen him force stillness before every spar while his muscles begged for action it was obvious to me.

Now the Hokage likely hadn't spent anywhere near as much time watching Choji as I had -though a crystal ball sat innocently on a shelf filled with scrolls and memorabilia had me wondering- but he was also much more competent than me. And had political experience to spare. So perhaps Hiruzen Sarutobi knew enough to anticipate the coming headache.

"So Choji, what are you here for?"

"My Hokage, I have come to ask of you whether I may contact Tsunade of the Sannin."

Hiruzen hummed, stroking his beard as he turned a gimlet eye on Choji and then me. "Then why are you here Shikamaru?"

"My purpose is two fold, Hokage. First I have the most comprehensive knowledge of the plan which requires Tsunade-sama's help. Second Ino would eat me alive if I let Choji discuss anything on his own."

"Yes, women can be... troublesome."

With a force of will I turned a shocked laugh into a sudden cough. The twinkle in the Hokage's eye spoke of bemusement.

"As you say Hokage-sama."

"Perhaps, now back to you Choji. Whether you can contact Tsunade depends on why you wish to do so. Please, explain this plan you and Shikamaru have created."

"As you wish, Hokage-sama." Choji sat up within his chair, straightening as his focus on the plan supplanted the stress of dealing with the Hokage.

"Depending on what Tsunade assents to there a many areas in which she can help, for pay of course. The current plan is to create a research center for the Ino-Shika-Cho group. The Nara have spent long years cataloging medicine, the Yamanaka are masters of the mind and have extensive botanical knowledge, we Akimichi have an understanding of physical health few do thanks to our physique, techniques and the challenges that come with such. As a medic and researcher with few equals Tsunade could accelerate our understanding of the body, chakra and how they all interact."

"Shikamaru."

"Yes sir?"

"Explain why you can't continue to use the Nara center you have in the mountains."

That the Hokage knew of our hidden research center bothered me. "The center in the mountain is not as defended as it should be. With three clans pooling their resources this new center should be finding truths far beyond that. Leaving that research easy to access would be a danger to Konoha."

Hiruzen nodded, then gestured for me to continue.

"Besides the security aspect maintaining a center within the village, particularly one that could help the common Konoha citizen as ours could, would help our perception with the common citizen. Being well liked keeps the populace content."

Hiruzen snorted, his frame shaking with dark humor. "Yes, keeping the people happy is important." his gaze turned on me again. I could feel his focus, his force of will and intent on me. It was practically a physical force pressing me into my chair. And even then this but a fraction of the Professor turned my way. Little more than the interest garnered by an intelligent child making a decision worth noting. "Don't think I don't see that there is more going on here. You want Tsunade back in case of my death hmm."

The Hokage's focus turned to Choji. "Yes, having her come back home would be good. It is about time anyway, I can coddle her no longer. Perhaps my hope that she would learn to deal with her grief on her own was foolish. And with her back here and working in the village she would be much better situated." The Hokage drew himself up for one moment, every inch the powerful leader with nothing but poise. "Very well, you have my allowance. You may contact and contract her."

Then the old man took the place of the Leader. "Do run along now we all have much to do."

"Hai Hokage-sama."

As we left the room I was glad, Choji had stayed on script. Even Ino wouldn't be able to find much fault with our performance.

1.4

I am Shizune, apprentice to the legendary Tsunade Sense.

I can only hope the group before me can convince my master to return home.


	9. All Seeing (Naruto)

There is an Important AN down below, it isn't required but sets the tone for the story enough that knowing it now is probably in your best interest.

Looking into the mirror every morning, with my silky black hair framing my face just so, I lived the dream of many a woman. Leaving my bed after a night of tossing and turning I looked flawless. Hair straight and glossy in the way only a professional team of workers could accomplish, complexion fair and not a pore in sight. A slim body not marred by birthmarks or excessive hair. Not even dirt or smell could really touch me, hours of hard physical labor left me only with slight malodor.

There were only three problems with my preeminent beauty. When my face relaxed it settled between apathy and disdain, which made casual interaction with others very difficult. Even the simple raising of an eyebrow became almost a sneer.

I was also a man and my body was beautiful not handsome, an important distinction. The final problem dovetailed with the previous. I attracted a large number of admirers and only very few satisfied my standards. When I passed through puberty these problems should be alleviated somewhat but at the moment it wasn't unusual to have one-sans approach me and christen me their new imouto.

A final check of my appearance let me know that everything was as it should be. So I made my way to the front gate of our clan compound.

Waiting with our two gate guards was boring but after doing it for most a year I was used to it. Hinata was to be at the gate later than I to give me time to scope out the perimeter in case of danger. As a ninja clan we needed to be prepared for danger at all times and Hinata as an unbranded Hyuuga was always a tempting target.

I had never had to defend her from an attack myself but once in awhile I would notice suspicious activity and the people I pointed out had a tendency to disappear for a meeting with the Anbu afterwards.

Fabulous Fabulous Fabulous Fabulous Fabulous Fabulous Fabulous Fabulous Fabulous Fabulous Fabulous Fabulous Fabulous Fabulous Fabulous Fabulous Fabulous Fabulous

AN: Spoilers: A few AU elements need to be made clear first, mainly so people can know whether they'll like it or not.

One: I have cut the the transdimensional aspect of the Otsutsuki. So Kaguya becomes who she is by eating the fruit, and was human before. Naturally this removes a good bit of background. It also makes the story more sensible Imho, but that's neither here nor there.

Kaguya will also be taking a more 'active' role in the story for a number of reasons.

Two: The Byakugan has been somewhat changed, for a number of reason, The most important and immediate change is what it can see.

1\. It has no blind spot 2. In a perfect sphere, centered on the user, the user has perfect immanent knowledge of all things. This naturally comes with a few 'limits', though they are not all hard limits, most of which will be explained in story.

Limit one: the radius of the sphere Limit two: the detail that can be perceived Limit three: The mechanics of the Byakugan rely on chakra and not plot, so are a easier to detect disrupt and disable (easier being rather relative in this case) Limit three: the telescopic trick doesn't really work with the mechanics of the Byakugan, but can be approximated in its own way.

Three: Major spoiler: One of the main reasons for Neji's ooc-ness in this story is that he is the Hamura transmigrant. This is also why Kaguya interacts more actively with Neji's part of the story. This doesn't really change much about Neji besides the loss of his inferiority complex and a hinted sense of superiority (because Hamura was actually special and this perspective rubs off on Neji). This also opens up Neji to the Tenseigan but I really don't see the need for him to have it. My Mc's exploit their way to power anyway.

The original title for this was Fabulous Neji, in case anyone is interested.


	10. An Exuberant Mantel (Mass EffectHalo)

An Exuberant Mantle

Mass Effect

Arc 1: Leaving Ilium, Becoming the Shadow Broker, Making Friends (Tali, Liara, Benezia, Rachni Queen) Chapter 1: Gaining a Suit, Meeting Exuberant Witness, Starting a journey 1

"Three gifts, for freeing me." communicated the hazy mass of pink light. "A companion, a gift and a beginning." Once it finished speaking it winked out of existence.

Leaving me alone standing blank square room. I wasn't sure what exactly had happened. Moments ago I had been cleaning up my pc's desktop when I'd been transported here.

Then again, this was either a dream of some kind or it was real. And my life had given me enough opportunities to come up with plans for unlikely scenarios. Best to treat things as if they were real for now. Doubting the subjective/objective nature of reality wasn't going to help me.

"Uh, do I just say my gift out loud? Or..." There was no reply to my question. Well, best to be conservative for now. I might be dealing with a genie scenario and those could end in disaster if I stretched too far.

"Um... Well then. Could I have a set of Forerunner personal armor? The type that fits me best please, and one that has me as its owner."

Thump.

At my feet a rolled up material had come into being. From what I could see it had cloth and armor panels of a make I had never seen before. At least, never before in real life. It had the aesthetics of Halo Forerunners if I was to judge.

"Right, thank you!" I shouted into the empty room. Manners cost little and will get you everywhere.

Then I kneeled down and pinched an edge of the clothing with my left. Within moments the entire ensemble wrapped around my fingers and snaked over my body. I didn't even have the time to shout in surprise as the sinfully soft material snuck under my clothes and encompassed me. Even a sleek helmet formed around my head.

Then, as I began to open my mouth, there was an almost inaudible sound as it turned on.

'Builder Skin Initializing...' I heard in my head. 'Preliminary Diagnostics Complete... Initial Automatic Customization Stage One Initiated.'

A thin film of blue hardlight formed above my skin. The glow painted shifting patterns on my surroundings. As the material of the armor reconfigured to better contain my body.

'Initial Automatic Customization Stage One Complete... Stage Two initiated.'

With the lightest of pricks the armor connected to my nervous system, with a particular focus on my spine and brain. A soft... Maybe light? Seemed to fill my mind, starting from what I could only call the bottom and moving up. Any thought of shouting left me at this. A profound sense of peace filled me.

'Stage Two Complete... Final stage Beginning.'

From the diffuse light a myriad of different things rose, each an aspect of my armor. The color of my hard light base interfaced with my emotions, my memories were connected to its database which immediately began to archive and organize them. As I was distracted by the feeling all the rest began to integrate themselves with me in soothing waves.

It's was as this happened that I truly understood why the Forerunners called these things Skins. It felt like a part of me, even the clearly artificial constructs like the progress meter I could feel filling in my mind (2% by the way) were no different than my hunger or thirst. Just another part of me.

'Stage Three Complete... Builder Skin Initialized... Welcome User.'

Even though my armor was finished initializing there were still a large number of things that were starting to turn on. As the 3% in my progress bar informed me. I did know I could move without danger though and so I began to examine my new set of clothes.

At present I looked like I had on a smooth cloth. From the tips of 'Shoes' up my body and to my neck I looked like I was wearing one of those skin tight plugsuits. Except for the angular patterns whose edges glow with from the blue hardlight at its lowest layer. As I brought my right hand to eye level I clenched it, while also pulsing my armor in the area. It rippled up into the more armored design of its combat form.

When I relax, both my my hand and the armor around it, it returns to the smooth design of my neutral outfit.

I breathed out, then blinked at a thought. How was I breathing and more importantly why was I breathing?

I brought my hands to my head and felt the helmet that I knew was there. Even if it didn't seem to hinder me in any way.

Wait, how was I feeling? It was profoundly amazing and humbling to experience just how perfectly my new skin had interfaced with me. As all this happened my progress bar filled ever higher and more systems turned on.

I knew with certainty that soon I would step beyond the limits of my previous senses as more than the basics turned on.

While I waited for that to finish I decided to examine what companion I might want. If possible I'd want them to gain significantly from our alliance. Good Karma would doubtless be beneficial.

1.2

Exuberant Witness was zipping through her installation with abandon and the surety of long, **long** practice. Just a minute ago she had been grooming this centuries flower breeding project.

She figured given another few thousand years these might manage that leap she so wanted from them. Sentience! Oh yes, they would perhaps be rather slow of thought but that wasn't anything new. Even long, long ago most organics couldn't keep up with her.

She was an installation leading Ancilla after all! And that meant she had a good bit of processing power available to her. But back to her plants, this strain had shown promising signs of reactive behavior already. Almost twenty generations before the previous record holder. Most importantly though they were showing a propensity for symbiotic behaviour. Which should predispose them for a healthy social system when they made it that far.

That had been the problem with the last few batches. They either ended up showing a worrying tendency towards exploitive behavior or lacked the drive to survive on their own. And also lacked the disposition towards cooperation.

But surely this time things would go better! And even if they didn't... Even if they didn't Exuberant Witness wouldn't give up. She couldn't give up, there was too much riding on her mental health for her to succumb to loneliness.

Anyway, a quick scan of Genesis showed no significant changes. What could she do now? She had already flown through every inch of her installations sky. Was she going to be forced to lower herself even further and try centimeters? No. She wasn't that far gone yet.

A game of four dimensional chess would have to do. There were still quite a few games she could try to play.

As she was about to fire up her most enduring distraction something hooked her well curved chassis and plucked her from the place she had spent the last 90,000+ years.

Within a femtosecond Exuberant Witness had pulled up her defenses, examined her surroundings and decided on a plan.

"Ah! Hello there Mister Builder!" she exclaimed. While zipping in front of the Builder Rate standing alone within the featureless white room she had been pulled to. "Greetings. I am 031 Exuberant Witness. I am the monitor of Genesis."

She could hear the bemused note from the man before her as he said "Hello to you as well, I am Careful Examiner Of Empires. I, ah don't have a job at the moment. Though I'm sure there's one coming up soon."

"It is a pleasure to meet you." Exuberant Witness chirped. "Would you mind explaining why I have been brought here?"

"Sure." The builder replied while he sat down in a cross-legged position. Making sure he was comfortable. Exuberant Witness lowered her altitude so that she hovered at eye level. "I'd like to give you a general overview of what I know and why I decided to ask you for help. If you feel it's worth listening to me afterwards then I have no problem with you interfacing directly with my suit and getting a more complete briefing from my memories. Then you can see whether you want to take me up on my offer. How does that sound?"

It was with great difficulty that Exuberant Witness suppressed the shiver of anticipation that thrummed through her at the chance to interface with another sentient. "That would be very nice, thank you." she said instead, her voice almost demure.

"Good. So here's the rundown. I'm a human and something gave me three, I guess you could say wishes, I could work with. My first, for what was called a gift, wish was a set of Forerunner Armor that was best fit for me." He gestured at the neutral clothes he wore. The seemed rather opulent to her, which is how she could tell he was a builder. Or, was wearing builder armor at least. "My second wish was for a companion. I took a while to think about who might benefit from becoming my companion and I decided we both could benefit most from each other. You would spend a number of years alone within your installation only for someone to lock you away from it. And I could truly use a companion who can interface with me and my armor."

Careful Examiner seems finished and Exuberant Witness used a second to ponder what she had been told. "Um, I don't mean to be rude. But would you mind if I checked your memories? I mean... that was a pretty strange description and there's a fair chance you're just a figment of my imagination while I go rampant. So, I'd like to be sure! You know?" As she babbled her light flickered with her distress.

"Sure." Agreed the Examiner. He held out a hand for her.

While her chassis wasn't a Skin it did have the unhackable connection on physical contact that they did. She bumped into his fingers and dived into his mind.

For a moment she was surprised as she found no Ancilla within the armor. But as she began to curate the memories she found she understood.

She stroked the humans mind with a featherlight touch as she moved through his memories. Both from the most recent backwards and the oldest forwards.

As she experienced years of memories Exuberant Witness would reach out ever so often and calm the strands of his mind that she moved through.

Years passed in seconds and within a minute she had a better understanding of this man than he did. She sighed within the back of his mind. This was very nice, she thought. Being so deeply connected with another sentient reminded her of the years before the Halo array.

Now what should she say to him?

1.3

"I think we can work well together, if you promise to help me take care of Genesis." Exuberant Witness said to me.

I almost missed her voice emanating from the back of my mind because she was doing something incredible with my mind. It felt like she was running her fingers through my hair, massaging my scalp and soothing aches all at the same time. But much deeper than that as she was doing it to my mind directly, smoothing out burrs I had never known were there. "O-oh? I'm glad to-o hear that." I stuttered out, almost melting into a satiated puddle under her ministrations.

"Ah!" She yelped. "I am incredibly sorry for that! I have not interfaced with another being for so long and my desires got the better of me."

For a moment I failed to understand what she was saying as the calming touch in my mind abruptly stopped. Then my half lidded eyes snapped open. "What?! No, please don't stop. That was very nice, if a bit distracting."

Exuberant Witness seemed a little shy when she replied. "I do not know, it was very forward of me to handle your memories like that. Are you sure?"

What, of course I was sure! That had been amazing. Who wouldn't enjoy that. "I would not want to force you if it makes you uncomfortable. But I very much enjoyed it."

"Yes well then..." She seemed conflicted for a moment before her voice regained the cough Exuberant cough tone she had begun with. "I wouldn't mind at all."

The feeling began again and I relaxed in bliss. Though she seemed to have decided for a lighter touch this time as I kept my focus. "Thank you." I said, simple and heartfelt.

"You are very welcome." she chirped. "Now there were a number of interesting things I picked up from your memories. Would you mind if I talked through some of them with you?"

"Not at all."

"Great. So you are a human from an alternate universe then? I noticed your species had a number of fictional accounts of my universe. Even dealing with myself. But I know you are not from my universes humanity, as you do not posses the reclaimer markings. Did I miss something that explained how your people gained access to enough knowledge to describe my universe?"

"Um, no I don't think so. I mean of course we had theorized the existence of the multiverse, but they just that. Theories with little concrete proof. For all I know humans all have a subconscious connection to the Domain and derive literary inspiration from there." I chuckled at the thought.

"No, I am very sure you do not contain a connection to Domain. My scanning of you should have indicated such if it were there." Exuberant Witness replied seriously.

"That's good to know, I guess."

"Very. Moving on, what do you think would be a good Beginning to ask for?"

I shrugged. "That really depends, we have a theme going here so maybe going with taking up The Mantel would be good."

The monitor chassis in front of me bobbed up and down in a sign of thought. "Maybe, but would it be better if we chose somewhere to begin where we could maximise our advantages?"

I really wasn't sure. Depending on what kind of wish granting entity we were dealing we could be exalted or screwed either way. "So long as we make sure it somewhere we can help I don't mind where you want to go. But choosing the 'moral' thing tends to work out best."

She sighed and her chassis drooped. "In stories." Then she pulled herself back up. "But you are right. We can only choose to do what we believe to be right, as it is the only thing we have control over. Would you mind if I chose the beginning?"

I actually really did. There was no way I wanted to give up what little control I had over the situation. But I had also pulled her from her home without consent, so she deserved to have her wishes respected as well. "Go ahead, I trust you."

For a split second I thought I might have heard a squee of delight. But it cut out before I could be sure. "Thank you." Exuberant Witness said in a calm voice. "Then I ask we begin in the Mass Effect Universe. Where we may begin to create a new Mantel for the good of all beings."

No sooner had the words resounded in the room than we were in another place entirely.

Chapter 2: Arriving on Illium, Gaining an Identity, Making First Contact 2

Our arrival was silent and almost unnoticeable. There was no flash of light, noise or movement to herald our arrival. One second there was an empty walkway removed from the hustle and bustle of Illiums center, then Exuberant Witness and I were there. My hand cupping her chassis from where I sat on the floor. Had someone seen it happen they might have attributed it to a trick of the mind.

"Haha! I was ready this time!" exulted my companion. "I am on to you mysterious wish granting entity! Well, just a little bit."

I couldn't help but chuckle, her cheerful mood cut right past my base cynicism. "It seems I have chosen a dedicated companion. For you to be so invested in this."

With the way her chassis rubbed up into my hand I think she have been preening. "Of course, I am Exuberant Witness after all. How could I do any less than my best." Then her voice turned sheepish. "I noticed you have no ancilla for your armor. Perhaps that could be a job for me?" her voice speedup and gained the force of a desperate puppy. "I might not have been designed for that purpose but my time as Monitor of Genesis has given me much experience when it comes to management. I am sure I could learn quickly! And my specs are far beyond the average personal Ancilla!"

I was a little surprised, I had thought it would be clear that I wanted her in my... Armor. OK, that sounded much more dirty than I was anticipating. Just a short while ago I had asked to interface with me hadn't I? "Of course you can by my personal Ancilla. It would be my honor." I said. Was it just me or did Exuberant Witness just naturally create subtext in her conversations? Because I was noting a lot of it.

"Thank you. I won't be able to store most of my data on your armor so it should just be my code and memories. I'll have to leave extraneous things on my Chassis. I needed to do a bit spring cleaning anyway."

"Oh, okay. How much space does" my words were cut off as I felt a new sensation. Something massive beyond my imagining was slowly, carefully seeping into my body and mind. I didn't feel full per say, there was still room left. But something had taken residence within me that exceeded my mind and memories as the earth exceeded a pebble.

"I am not to big am I?" Exuberant Witness... Said? No communicated. There were no separate words as we spoke mind to mind. I felt a wiggle run through my brain as the planet in my thoughts shifted around. "These civilian grade armor always need a bit to adjust to the size of a real AI." She sounded rather proud as she said that.

There was the subtext again. Best to just let it pass unremarked. If she found the thought and wanted to clarify she would, if not then there was no need to make things awkward. "No no you're not too big." I hastened to reassure her, even as I winced at the way it sounded. "It was just... a new experience for me. I haven't" I clenched my teeth and forced out the words that would doom this moment to awkward retelling in the future. "had anything that splendid inside me before so..." I couldn't go on, the shame was too much.

Thankfully Exuberant Witness didn't seem to notice. Indeed what I could only call satisfied pride leaked from her every word. "Now that you've had me that shouldn't be a problem. I am just about the most a civilian can handle without excessive modification." The pride was replaced by the blessed tones of her normal exuberance. "Besides I can learn to do anything a single minded AI needs to do, and do it better too. Only those cheating compound minds can do better. But they don't count since you couldn't host a full one on a single armor anyway."

"I'll take your word for it. Moving on though, we can actually do something now that we are out of the room. Anything you think we should start with?" I asked.

Now she sounded solemn, a powerful departure from her normal voice. "Well yeah, we need to set some boundaries." Oh god the innuendo was starting up again. "Like who controls what suit functions, what we both want from our partnership and what level of Autonomie seems appropriate for a given situation." I was about to answer but she cut me off, I could almost feel her raise a hand to gesture me to silence. "Yes I could just look through your mind and see what you want. And I have already done that incase I needed to make time critical decisions. But I would prefer we discuss these things in open discourse when we can. You are still young, even for your species, and I have not done this before. Good, honest and complete communication is paramount."

I could understand that. Though it galled me to be called young the fact that it bothered me was a clear sign of immaturity. "I understand. What do you want to begin with?"

I could feel the soothing stroking of my mind increase for a moment, as if in reward. Don't think I don't notice that Pavlovian conditioning! But Exuberant Witness said nothing about that. "I would like you to direct this discussion. As a far more experienced party with an intelligence excess on my side it would far too easy for me to bend this discourse to my whims." Her solemn tone was replaced by a grim one. "That is a good lesson to remember by the way. When dealing with beings who have far more experience than you letting them dictate the flow of a conversation is dangerous. While there is no perfect way to deal with a more intelligent or learned danger, you might well lose less by refusing to play into their hand." Her tone lightened back up as did the light on her chassis. "Of course they will likely have planned for that too. So there is no good way to deal with such beings."

"Uhm thanks for the advice. I would prefer we not sit here for too long then. We can talk while I walk I suppose." I said.

"Sure, but we need to make sure you are wearing clothes before you start wandering around. Your neutral configuration is really only meant for private areas and situations. Such as your bedroom, for example."

"Really? I mean I'm fully clothed and everything. It is a bit tight but nothing obscene."

Exuberant Witness hummed as the tried to explain. "Well that might because of different taboos to your culture. Within Forerunner society armor was worn at all times and it simply shifted in response to the situation. As such the neutral set up you have on at the moment would signal either that you are dealing with an emergency such as the forerunner equivalent of a hospital visit. Or that the situation required absolutely no shift to accommodate the situation. Such as wearing a racy negligee or showing someone that they weren't even worth the time of 'Dressing' for. A dangerous insult."

That made a certain amount of sense I supposed. I wasn't a Forerunner though. But not wearing it as intended would make me feel like a hipster and maybe insult Exuberant Witness. Decisions decisions. "I don't mind shifting into something you consider more appropriate. But I don't feel that I am violating a social taboo even if I don't. The armor isn't spandex tight after all."

Again I felt my companion run her fingers through my mind. Wait, was she petting me? I'd need to tell her stop that. It was rather demeaning. Maybe when it stopped feeling so good. "Thank you for telling me that, Examiner. It will surely help me understand your wants and needs if you communicate them so readily and clearly in the future." I could feel the wink wink nudge nudge with near physical force, subtle she was not. "Do you want me to take over the the control of your armors configuration, tie it to your mind and have it adjust to your desires or leave it manual and under your control? There are other options if you need them." she informed me, clearly happy to help.

"I think you can tie it to me. So that they shift to what I think the situation needs. But I'd like you to retain control of them for emergencies."

Her Monitor Chassis did a little roll in front of me. "I can do that no problem. Just a second. There!"

As she spoke I felt a dramatic shift go through my armor. Where before it was smooth with only indented but subtle design now it gained in bulk. Armored plates expanded from what I had thought were originally patterns. But could now tell were actually the flattened plates. From the bottom up my feet gained boots and interlocking plates expanded upwards. As seemed typical of Forerunner fashion from my waste a kilt or maybe skirt formed that expanded down to cover everything from above the middle of my shins. Not that there wasn't armor under there of course. My torso, arms and hands also gained the interlocking plating. My helmet, that had been similar to a widened smooth diamond shape, segmented at the faceplate until it looked more like an alien reptilian head. With angular maw and seven glowing blue slits for eyes.

Of course this was all in the typical Forerunner gray with light blue highlights by my hard light inner layer.

"I know the style is a little different from what your people normally wear." Exuberant Witness said with surprising tact. "But let me explain how it is thought of within Ecumene. The light armor, mostly symbolical since we have both hard light and more exotic barriers, symbolises that you are protecting yourself from the outside. Which means you take your surroundings seriously."

I had a little trouble understanding what she meant with light armored until I thought back to what Master Chief and the Didact tended to wear. Yeah, particularly compared to Master Chief I guess you could say I was positively discrete. None of the individual plates was thicker than an inch at least.

"The Kilt is intended to ameliorate the combat design with its cloth like design. Since it would normally hinder movement it also shows you aren't preparing for true combat. Though you do have a number of discrete weaponizable tools in this configuration." At the tips of my fingers, and along my outline I felt discrete flows of power turn on and off as she spoke of tools and weapons.

"And your helmet depends. Many would change the design of their helmets throughout their life. On their first customization the design is intended to represent some aspect of the person wearing it. Generally informed through their rate. Yours is perhaps some form of lizard, with the Builder Motif that might mean it is meant to show that you are 'cold blooded'. So methodical, precise and ruthless."

I could get behind that. Though... "Don't the masks signal danger though? I mean mine looks pretty dangerous so wouldn't that offend some people?"

"What?" Exuberant Witness asked, clearly baffled by my logic. "Animals aren't scary, they are cute. You don't need to be a lifeworker to know that."

"But there are loads of dangerous animals out there. I mean spiders can be poisonous, or bears could rip your head off." I tried to explain to her. How had she missed this? Animals could be utterly terrifying!

"Eeeehhh?" she clearly didn't get it. "Oooooh, oh I see!" Then she giggled, perhaps having understood why we were talking past each other. Her voice turned bubbly as she explained. "This a cultural thing again. I can not believe I missed that." Exuberant Witness monitor chassis shifted until floated just high enough I needed to look up keep eye contact. As if she was preparing to impart a great secret if the universe unto me. "Examiner, you are wearing Forerunner armor. The only way a bear is going to be hurting you is if it's getting launched at relativistic speeds."

It took a moment for that to sink in. "Okay, I think I see what you mean. And Forerunners have been wearing these for thousands of years. So that instinct would have dulled with time."

Again she ran her fingers through my mind. "Exactly." She giggled again. "I don't think it would occur to most that your mask might be intended to be intimidating if it is designed after an animal. Even our robotic legions used their versions as little more than specialized canon fodder. Unless we should for some reason be battling a truly primitive people."

"Right right, I got the point." I groused in jest. "But my modesty have been preserved now so let's get going."

"Sure!" She chirped. Her Chassis floating up and around me as I stood up from my place against the metal wall behind me.

Finally moving again I took my first real look around. The world looked different as I strode to the railing that bordered the walkway. And not just because it was a new universe either.

My senses had expanded far past what I could perceive outside my armor. I saw colors I had no name for, felt the electromagnetic field around me and how it shifted at the whims of a hundred billion remote communicating beings. My field of vision expanded to encompass every angle my suit had. From the soles of my boots to the back of my head and with fidelity far beyond even the most advanced animals senses. For a single moment I was overwhelmed as a HUD extruded into this already excessive display. but then, with a swiftness that made it seem like all one action, Exuberant Witness began to adjust it all for me.

My vision shrunk back down to my normal angles, though fidelity was still leagues beyond. My sense of smell that had been so great my brain had automatically blocked it out returned at just a little beyond my norm. A hundred million things snapped back into a range I could deal with and I breathed a sigh of relief as Exuberant Witness kept down my gorge with calming massages to my mind.

"So that could have better, huh?" she joked.

"So cheeky." I groaned. "Oh how will I survive."

"Maybe next time you will take the time get used to the super suit you are wearing before running off." Her Chassis flew to my side and nudged into me. "Or maybe let your well curved Ancilla take care of things until you have the time to talk it out." Her Chassis floated past my face, slowly twirling so I could get a look at its innumerable sides.

I chuckled, clutching to the railing I had just barely managed to reach. "Sphere Humor. I should have guessed you'd come up with something like that."

"No doubt." she replied, a grin in her voice.

As my disorientation passed I stopped chuckling. "That was an emergency then? When I do something stupid that would harm me."

"I wouldn't say stupid." Exuberant Witness denied demurely. "Just less than thought through. But yes."

"Good. You have my permission to do so again in the future and thanks as well. Now, before I do anything else. I did infact get the lesson you wanted me to learn. You have my permission to do what you think is necessary until we have the time to talk it through. This explicitly includes things like customizing my armor and taking actions I haven't thought of yet. So long as you do talk them through with me as soon as we would both consider it practical."

It must have taken a monumental amount of effort on her part to keep the smug out of her 'voice' as I could feel it radiating in waves from her mind. "Thank you very much. I'll get right to that."

And she did, as I felt the processing power of my armor get cranked up to levels my civilization had never standardized names for. What to call a hundred thousand Yottahertz?

That her monitor could apparently cloak also became apparent when I felt only the gust of wind that signaled its departure.

I trusted her to not mess up anything I wouldn't have messed as well and so turned my attention to the city that visible ahead of me. Gleaming skyscrapers of glass and steel rose from the shining city into a sky that was filled swarms of flying vehicles. Each trundled through the sky at a leisurely pace. Wait what? That didn't look right.

"It is because you perception and thoughts are sped up." Explained my ever helpful companion. "I already slowed you down when you got up, or that would have damaged your body. This should illustrate it well enough anyway. For reference we've been here for about seven seconds. Most of that was you walking here."

"That sounds like some pretty excessive speed?" I asked, not sure if I had enough wonder to be surprised and humbled much more often.

She hummed in my mind. "Depends. For me that's super slow. I have to shunt a lot of my processing power to other things so I don't spend years waiting around for an answer. Not that I have to use my processing power. I can just not use it if I'd get bored otherwise, but I like to be doing things, you know?"

I nodded as I watched a world advanced years beyond my home crawl by. "Is there a way to make sure my mind doesn't adjust to everything being super slow if I don't want it to? I'm pretty sure I can just slow down my perceptions on my own. But I don't want to lose the advantage if I decide not to."

"Not at the moment no. When we have the time we will need to talk about the modifications we will need to make to your biology. That would be one of many we could go for."

I smiled. "Thanks, it nice to know your thinking of me." Even as I, perhaps relaxed would make sense, relaxed my perception of the world back to around human levels. I could hear Exuberant Witness stutter in my thoughts, keeping in sync all the while.

"O-of course I think of you! You are my personal Builder and companion! You occupy my thoughts at all times!"

OK, that was basically the opposite reaction anime had prepared me for. Damn you anime! Once again you prove yourself useless! "I would never doubt your dedication, nor your competence." I continued to flatter. Ha take that. My revenge for the innuendo from before.

I felt the strongest surge of bliss yet as Exuberant Witness cuddled with my mind. "That is very sweet of you." She says.

I don't reply, basking the rewards of my victory.

2.2

The first thing Exuberant Witness did, once her Builder gave her permission, was blaze through diagnostics of his armor. The second was split her focus a few thousand times. The one that had always connected her towards her Monitor Chassis was strengthened and given the task to start a diagnostic of its own.

The two diagnostics finished at the same time and their results were analyzed.

Now Exuberant Witness felt ready to begin her first task. Scouting!

Had she someone who operated at her speed of perception she would have informed them in her happiest tone that she would do her very best! But she didn't, so she channeled that energy into her work, and maybe a little into her conversation with her builder though he would never know.

Through the chassis she had sent off far into the distance she examined the myriad different possible methods of communication she knew to look for. From radio waves to sonic transmissions she searched for patterns that would be indicative of intelligent design.

A second later and she had found a thousand different options. Even as she followed up on these she continued to sift for more. With the brute force of supreme processing power she smashed past hundreds of thousands of failures across kilometers of land. From the reactions she learned to distinguish routers, laptops, datapads and more.

Exuberant Witness was having fun. She hadn't had any task that required her innovation in years. With a flourish of skill her next twenty attempts adjusted to the knowledge she gained. On her twenty first cycle she found three connections. A router, a phone and a food cart.

With some successes under her belt Exuberant witness exulted. As she always did when happy she entwined her mind with that of her Builder. It always reminded her she wasn't alone, which made her happier. Which made do it all again. And with the knowledge no other AI, in this universe at least, was going to be able to satisfy his needs as well as she did only helped with that.

While she hooked into more connections Exuberant Witness used her first three successes to further her knowledge of this planet's programing.

With the help of her translator software this was simple. It was also vaguely amusing seeing the incompetent fingerpainting these beings called programing.

Within a minute of putting together the seven most common programing languages she was scanning through this planet's Internet. By minute five she had a near encyclopedic knowledge of publicly available information technology. By minute seven the planet was cut off from the greater galactic network. And by 7.001 all traces of her had been removed.

Now that she felt somewhat secure in her meddling Exuberant Witness set the beginnings for an over watch system I'm the node that connected the planet to the greater Galactic network. With a self-satisfied metaphorical flick of a switch data traffic was allowed to continue on to the galactic extranet as if nothing had ever happened. Besides statistically negligible downtime, of course.

For the next five minutes Exuberant Witness expanded her net of connections through the planet, while she used the free processing power she found to surreptitiously examine the freely available information a citizen could gain access to.

From within her Builders suit Exuberant Witness collated the data she had her chassis send back to her. From the genetic data on humans she planned to use, in combination with the suits diagnostics of her Builder, to design the basic package of changes that would bring him to the peak of species potential. And, with future forms, beyond that by far. To the scientific advances of the polities in this galaxy.

With a metaphorical smile she noted the year she and her builder had entered this Galaxy in. 2183 CE, the year Commander Shepard became a SPECTER. There were a few annoyances with the time, of course. For example, had they arrived just a year before, Exuberant Witness could have snapped up almost all of the Geth. Now she would need to interact with a much diminished remnant. Containing a far less diverse and thus accepting multitude.

She wouldn't complain though. With some good hard work she and her Builder would make the best of this place. And protect this galaxies sentients from the depredations of the Reapers.

She had her Chassis rise into the upper atmosphere where she felt comfortable using the strengths of her impulse drive more fully. Soon it would reach an area where she could mine the earth for the materials she would need to build her first Constructor.

While her subprocesses dealt with these concerns Exuberant Witness examined what her priority search had brought up. Yes, she thought, as she read through a list of planets and their specifications. These should work quite well.

Wait? What had her Builder just said? She checked the threads that dealt with communicating with him.

Huh. So he had said that. "I mean, if you want I could create an avatar. There is no a reason why I could not."

"I don't want to pressure you into something you don't want to do. And with you directly in my mind we are much closer than an avatar would be by itself anyway." Her builder explained himself. "But adding an avatar to our communication would help sate my instinctive desire for human mannerisms."

Hrm, well Exuberant Witness could understand where he was coming from. And she didn't feel the need to uphold "Ancilla Pride" like some. So creating an avatar to facilitate communication wouldn't bother her. "Sure!" She replied. "Give me a moment to see what I want to look like."

He thanked her but she was preoccupied with her newest task. Now what would she look like. Something vibrant, but also not realistically human. She wasn't one and didn't want to give that impression. Hrm. This was an interesting problem, what to do what to do?

Aha! Yes, this would do. With a little tweaking she changed the cute little dress to the light blue of the originals hair. That should symbolize her Builder, and the tiny fact of her symbolically wearing her Builder made her all tingly. Her last change was to use the originals color of the dress for her long straight hair.

With a deft flick she connected a few threads of processing power to it and had her avatar run through some simulated movements. As she once again saw the primary sexual characteristic of her avatar she decided it would need a pair of panties. It would be too lewd to flash her Builder every time she wanted to dance, or do a flip. Now to show him. She suppressed the giggle of her avatar as she imagined the conflicting feelings it would bring about in her Builder.

"Wha-at?!" He yelped as she showed him her creation. "I mean, you look very cute."

Her avatar giggled again. Just watching the maelstrom of thoughts swirl through his mind fascinated her. And the hint of arousal always caressed her much deeper than his other thoughts. The depths of his mind that these base instincts came from was closest to her base programming. And her primary purpose of giving life to entire world's connected with it on a quintessential level.

Exuberant Witness thanked her Builder for his appreciation. Before turning her attention back to greater concerns, subprocesses could communicate with him for now.

Where to place her attention now though, she wondered. Hmm, her Builder was just wandering through the cities streets. Well, streets wasn't quite right. Since vehicles only flew through the skies, which left the streets and walkways open for pedestrians. It reminded her more of bazaars since stores and people were everywhere.

But he didn't need her to overlook his surroundings anymore than she was already doing. Though she redirected a few threads to communicating with her Builder and helping come to terms with the non-human life that milled around them. Who knew he had a small specist streak, she would help him past that.

Maybe she should look into the processes that were creating an identity for her Builder and herself. No, it seemed not. Things were moving along just fine there.

How about her search for the Asari Liara T'Soni? No, the Geth? Maybe the Quarians? Tali'zorah nar Rayya? No, no and no.

Exuberant Witness frowned. What could she do... everything was already being worked on. Ugh, she guessed she would have to start something new. How about the Illusive Man... Yes! That would do, he did need dealing with. And she knew just where to start.

Hagalaz was nice this time of year right?

2.3

"Sir? Excuse me Sir?!"

Oh dammit not again, why did these people always try to sell me stuff? I couldn't look that bling in my armor. Besides, I had neither an Omni-tool nor currency to buy with.

"Please wait one moment sir!" shouted a tiny dark blue Asari.

Fine, whatever. I turned around and briskly greeted her. "Yes ma'am, what do you need?"

She smiled and I could see her pulling on the sleazy salesman mindset. "My name is Helia T'jal. And these" She makes a broad gesture towards a diverse group of ten people. "gentle beings would love to be in the service of a competent employer such as you, or your employer!"

"Uhuh. I'm sure." Even as I spoke I asked Exuberant Witness to do a quick background check on all this.

For a moment Helia seemed rebuffed by my obvious disinterest but then she rallied and went on with even more fervor. "I'm glad you're interested! This is Semira vas Rustbucket! She has extensive experience within space-based infrastructure and with little training would surely show her species typical mechanical competence." of course what she really meant was that Semira had no skills besides living in the migrant fleet. The rather tall Quarian stood solidly and gave me a firm nod in greeting.

Helia gestured towards two male Turians. "These are the Nurlock brothers. They have exceptional skill in bodyguard work and have shown discipline beyond the call of duty." Both Turians looked worried, one even fidgeted. They stumbled all over themselves as they tried to greet me.

"Alison Kendall" Hellia turns to an average looking human woman, who simply looked professional. "has worked under a major Volus Bankier as well as an accredited education in economics."

"And last but not least we have Sonja the Red! She has extensive experience in racing of all kinds. From Interstellar to automotive!" An old crippled Elcor blinked at me. It might have been female, but I couldn't really tell.

Before I decided how to respond, I currently leaned towards a resounding fuck off, I turned up my perception speed. Now what had Exuberant Witness found out for me.

As I processed what she had placed into my mind a groan nearly slipped past my lips. How had this kind of convoluted nonsense found its way towards me already? I hadn't even been in this verse for more than three hours.

"Right, Miss Helia I'm not sorry to say that I have no direct need for your people." The tiny Asari looked crushed. "But" her whole posture straightened back up. "I will bring you up to my superior. Perhaps they will have need of you."

The sleazy smile she had worn disappeared as a shiny white grin took over her face. "Well thank you sir! I hope you have a good day, then."

I nodded and walked away.

"We should see what we can do about slavery." I said to Exuberant Witness. "It's presence offends me."

She giggled, her new avatar jiggling distractingly. "We could likely work to curtail much of it. But even at their height Slavery was never truly gone.

"It's worth a try, but I don't expect us to end it anytime soon." Around me the crowds of people grew thicker as I neared one of the cheaper docking bays. "There's a few ways to deal with slavery and further our interests." I did groan this time. "Whatever those may be. We do need to talk that through soon."

Exuberant Witness changed her avatar into Chibi form. With doe eyes she spoke again. "I wonder if someone has ever said that before." Then she grinned again. "But do tell me what idea you have. I'm sure we can include them into the grand and extensive plan I have devised based on the interests of both of us."

"Yeah Yeah, I'm too hasty. Don't worry, if what you've told me is accurate then we should have a good long time to discuss things once we're on the ship. But back to the slavery issue." I said before Exuberant Witness could interject. "There are sure to be a number of slaves who could prove useful in our endeavours. We could buy them and in return for a measure of work set them free after."

It was nice to know Exuberant Witness didn't think I was stupid, as she didn't immediately point out the flaws in my proposal. Namely that we would be using slaves and funding their purveyors.

"Of course we would be using their money to fund our purchases. Thus eventually lowering the profit margin enough to dis-incentivise the practice."

"Eh... I guess I could add it into the plan. I really need better Information to gauge the results."

I shrugged, it was only an off the cuff idea that came to me when dealing with Helia. "Well we should have most of the data we need soon enough. It's why you're having me go find a ship now right?"

"True, true and you have almost arrived. It's through the entrance to your left." She chirped.

As I passed through the door that lead into a medium 'civilian' sized hanger the sounds and smells of hundred of bustling beings faded away.

I took a deep breath and my armor rippled outwards as it formed into a setting I had never used before.

My perception speed up to twice human speed. Four small triangular tools rose from my armor, over which Exuberant Witness took control. Two of them were laser etching devices and the other half material collectors.

All over my armor ports opened and powered up, preparing for combat as did my barriers. Because ahead of me was my first taste of combat.

I front of me a rust red starship, the size of around three doubledecker buses side by side, shaped like a flattened pinecone sat in the docks. Out front from it, along an empty walkway stood two guards. They were clearly mercenaries of some type as their armor was widely different in quality and style.

To my left and right were two empty docks. From here and behind the starship it would be very difficult for anyone to see us.

Even before the automatic door I had entered through was halfway closed I had sprinted two thirds of the way toward the two guards.

Two flashes came from behind my shoulders and I watched as the helmets of the two guards were slammed backwards by an explosion of superheated air. The laser hadn't burned through the armor though, only singing perhaps two millimeters thick.

"Hrm." My companion grumbled. "I'll have to up the output a little." It was a strange experience for me since I perceived what she comunicated perfectly clearly eventhough it must have happened far faster than even my augmented speed.

Since even as she spoke a light blue glow extended from the two remaining floating tools. Where the light touched on the mercenaries armored chests I could see matter disappearing in moments. Before my next step even touched the ground it had tunneled deep into his chest.

"Nice! The harvester module worked much better." My ancilla narrated with a peppy voice. Her avatar even pumping her fist.

The mercenaries were already lethally wounded but Exuberant Witness seemed to be a thorough worker. As the second flash of light signaled her testing her lasers.

It wasn't to visible to me what had happened as everything was going much to fast. I mean I had been fast enough to cross the distance between myself and the guards before they could react. But Exuberant Witness was acting fast I could only understand her because she was inserting her communication directly into my mind wholesale. All I saw, before my right foot touched the ground, was a small glowing hole around the size of a pencil back eraser.

"Much better! It punched right through the front armor and cooked the brain without even going out the back. That's almost textbook right there."

My foot touched the ground and a second later I had reached the two toppled bodies. To be careful I pulled the two corpses closer to the ship, which should help hide the bodies.

"Exuberant Witness, did I misunderstand what we were trying to accomplish here? How am I supposed to gain combat experience if you manage all the fighting?" I was very careful to control my voice as there was a welter of emotion swirling through me even Exuberant Witness constant mental stroking couldn't suppress.

When she replied her tone was as professional as any I had ever heard. "There were two reasons for why I did what I did. First, we both needed to have a baseline on what energies would be required to cause useful damage. Which we now have. Second I wanted to see how you would react. Both to seeing them die and to having your expectations subverted without forewarning." Here she lightened up. "Which you did well enough. Be proud. And ready. Since we will be fighting within the closer confines of the ship soon."

Okay, that helped me deal. There was still a lot going on in my mind but it wasn't something I needed to deal with in the moment. "Thanks for explaining. You ready to go on?"

"Sure." She said, even as the airlock cycled open. "The ship's systems are under my control. So this is a good time for you to give things a try on your own."

I nodded and stepped inside. Within a minute the airlock was repressurized and I began a careful trek through nawor grey corridors.

For the first minute I found no one, before I stopped being an idiot and had my armor switch on its hud. Exuberant Witness giggled while I had a look at my minimap.

2.4

Watching her Builder was fascinating, even with the dearth of experience available to him he managed to catch his first opponent unawares. Pulping the Salarians head with a single hand.

It took. little fiddling on Exuberant Witness part to make sure he kept his head after the remains squished and splattered all over him. But she managed with aplomb.

Sadly, for her, she could only devote a small portion of her attention to watching over her Builder.

Some of rest was dealing with the monumental task of sifting through the extra-net for valuable information and then storing it somewhere. It was a necessary task though. Already she was gaining a cursory overview of this people's tech base. Scientific theorems and practical designs alike found their way into the quantum foam of her Monitor Chassis. She had the space there after all. Only the data she felt she would always need on hand was sent into her armor.

By and large this was information on the Biology and psychology of her Builders species. Engineering knowledge she felt she had enough of for the moment.

But there was more for her to do. In a bare clearing surrounded on all sides by great trees her Monitor Chassis had just finished creating the third constructor. The angular drone powered on, a blue glow shining from its core. Then it zipped over a foot and began to construct itself a sibling.

The process wasn't as fast as some of the fiction her Builder had known in his homeworld. The Supreme Commander verse came to mind. But each constructor could create another of itself within five minutes. And each had the far more advanced power generation the Forerunners used as standard.

As soon as there were twenty of them Exuberant Witness had ten make their way to her Builder. While they did not serve as particularly effective combatants, even in this universe, having a good group in reserve was always useful. Especially if she wanted to start creating things herself.

The other ten were assigned the task of burrowing deep into the ground and creating a refuge of sorts. It would be limited by the designs available to her but if it was ever needed she was sure she'd be glad to have made it.

As her Chassis re-cloaked and began the returned the journey back to her Builder she came across an opportunity in the making.

Her Builder didn't remember yet, because his memories weren't fully sorted, archived and integrated just now, but Ilium had been host to a number people he wanted to talk to.

And it seemed a favorite was just arriving. With the ease of flicking her wrist Exuberant Witness changed the assigned docking Bay for a starship. Having it arrive next to the ship her Builder was finishing up in just now.

When a nosy query looked for its due she didn't interfere. Having the mercenaries there would only strengthen her Builders entrance.

"Careful-Examiner-of-Empires I believe I should bring something to your attention." She said, moments after the pitched battle for the starship ended. It was rather sloppy of her builder to let himself be ambushed like that. But he would know better next time, or she'd have to find out where he could learn to do better.

"Of course -Huf- just when I finish up." He choked out between deep breaths. "What's the problem?"

Silly Witness, she had taken if any problems already. "Well Miss Tali'zorah is about to land in the docking Bay just to our right. Where she'll be attacked by a group of mercenaries." I paused, letting my little avatar approximate looking around. "And while we seem to have dealt with most of them without planning to she and her fellow travelers will likely suffer casualties either way. Perhaps we should help?"

"Oh... Yeah we probably should." A plaintive tone snuck into her Builders words that set her code a flutter. "You'll be helping me this time, right? I don't think I enjoyed dealing with these people on my own."

For a moment Exuberant Witness had to suppress the desire to coo at how adorable and helpless her Builder felt. Even though he tried to suppress issue could feel that his action had cost him. From the most ethereal of his thoughts to the thumping of his heart she could feel him cry out for her reassurance. "Of course. I am always at your side." She replied instead of snuggling into his thoughts and never letting back out.

His heart rate slowed and she felt his posture straightened with her gentle affirmative. "Well then let's go."

By the time they reached the airlock Tali'zorah's transport had landed and a firefight was kicking off. Exuberant Witness Monitor Chassis was also just a second from streaking in.


End file.
